Ends of the Earth
by Bohemian Storm
Summary: *Finished with Epilogue* Dumbledore and Snape rescue a prisoner from Azkaban, unfairly imprisoned for the kidnap of Remus Lupin. Will she be any help in finding him, or has she been in Azkaban for too long? Reviews greatly appreciated.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the world they live in. They belong to JK Rowling and anyone else she's given the rights to. I do own Cassandra and the plot.  
  
Notes: I know I should wait until I'm finished my other chapter story, Myths of the Flood, but this idea has been begging to be written for days now and I just couldn't put it off any longer.  
  
Prologue  
  
  
Severus Snape shivered violently as he walked down the dank hall that led to the prisoner he was to visit. Albus Dumbledore was by his side, striding along, as if being in the halls of Azkaban didn't bother him in the least. Dementors glided by, paying only the slightest bit of attention to them, but Snape still felt cold every time one slid past. He didn't have very many happy memories to give them and he wasn't willing to give away what little he still considered happy.  
  
"I despise this place," he hissed, intent on letting Dumbledore just how much he hated being roped into the trip. He wasn't a friend of the prisoner they were visiting, he had never met her, but Dumbledore thought it was be a good idea for him to come. Snape had no idea what kind of reasoning there was behind this thought, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was get the visit over with and leave.  
  
"You haven't even told me why she is in here," he said, striding along quickly to keep up with Dumbledore.  
  
The Headmaster smiled at him. "Apparently she kidnapped and murdered Remus Lupin."  
  
Snape stopped in the middle of the hall. "Are you mad? Why in Merlin's name are we going to visit a murderer? Not just any murderer . . . Lupin . . . when did this happen?"  
  
"I said apparently," Dumbledore reminded him. "I don't believe for a second that she would dare hurt him."  
  
Snape rolled his eyes. "Not another one . . . please Albus, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."  
  
"On the contrary, Severus," Dumbledore said, "I know Cassandra quite well and I can guarantee you that she didn't do it."  
  
"You're not planning what I think you're planning," he said dully.  
  
Dumbledore's smile widened. "She's an unregistered Animagus. A grey mare, if the rumours are correct."  
  
"Oh no, Albus . . . no, no. You simply cannot break a prisoner out of Azkaban. If anyone were to find out you would be thrown in here yourself. She's been convicted of a crime-"  
  
"Unfairly convicted," Dumbledore said. "Remus has been missing for nearly six months now, but the Ministry hasn't bothered trying to track him down. Cassandra was the last to see him and in the eyes of the Ministry, that automatically makes her guilty. She's being imprisoned for the murder of a wizard no one is really sure is dead."  
  
"I understand that, Albus, but there must be some other way," Snape protested.  
  
"She's been here for three months, Severus," Dumbledore said softly. "She can't keep her mind safe the way Sirius could. She'll be gone within another month. Reserve your judgement until you see her."  
  
Snape drew in a deep breath, but nodded and slowly continued their trip down the hall. He dreaded seeing the girl with every step that he took, he didn't want to take part in this. Surely Dumbledore knew the risk he was taking by helping to break out this woman. Snape tried to argue that it was insane, the stupidest thing he'd ever heard, but somewhere in the back of his mind another voice spoke up.  
  
*You know he's right,* the voice said. *Dumbledore knows things you can't possibly imagine. Just trust him.*  
  
So Snape continued the long walk, trusting in the Headmaster that walked by his side.  
  
They arrived at the last cell, the lanterns and torches above them barely throwing enough light through the magically enhanced glass door for them to see who was inside. Snape squinted, peering into the shadows and for a long moment he was afraid that she had already escaped.  
  
He saw her finally, leaning against the wall of her cell with her legs crossed. One hand was out in front of her, casually pawing at the air like there was something hanging in front of her face. Her dark hair was lank and dirty, hanging around her face in greasy clumps and her grey eyes were expressionless.  
  
"Are you sure she is not already beyond help?" Snape whispered.  
  
As he spoke, her pale eyes focused and she stopped pawing at the air.   
  
"I know you," she whispered, cocking her head at them. "Do you know me? Can you tell me who I am? I seem to have forgotten." Her eyes went past them, staring at something only she could see. "You there . . . stop moving like that."  
  
"She is very far gone," Dumbledore whispered. "Much worse than last time."  
  
"Can you see them?" she asked, staring up at the ceiling of her cell. "Can you count the stars with me? I always lose track and never remember where I stopped. Four thousand, six hundred and ninety two, I think, but there must be more." Her voice changed and a smile crossed her dry lips. "I like the constellations . . . they're pretty. I don't like the Dark Lord though, he's in the sky at night and that can only mean one thing." She nodded fiercely, her bright eyes wide. "Sirius is in the sky, did you know?" Her eyes went up to the ceiling again. "He tells me things about you and about Remus."  
  
"We can't help her," Snape said, stepping away.  
  
Cassandra leapt forward and pressed her hands against the glass. "Sirius is very loud. Shush Sirius! Be quiet now, I'm talking to these nice men."  
  
"Do you remember me?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
A shy smile crossed Cassandra's face. "Of course . . . you're Dumbledore. You were Headmaster when I went to Hogwarts. You taught my mum too." Her head whipped around to stare at the back corner of her cell. "Sirius! Don't make me come up there again. Just be quiet." She turned back to them and giggled softly. "He's always so noisy, but I like the company."  
  
"Sirius Black?" Snape asked.  
  
Cassandra's eyes widened. "Do you know Sirius? He's quite lovely." She pressed her face against the glass and contorted it, then giggled again. "Isn't that funny? It's my favourite- SHUT UP SIRIUS!" she screamed suddenly, scrambling for the back corner of her cell. Her fists pounded on the walls and soon blood was streaming down her arms. "I did not hurt him! You know that! You know that, so just shut up!"  
  
"Cassandra!" Dumbledore said sharply and she stopped her movements. "Come back here."  
  
She obeyed, tears streaming down her pale face. "You know I didn't hurt Remus, don't you Dumbledore?"  
  
He nodded. "I know."  
  
A smile crossed her face. "I still have a happy thought. One happy thought. It's what keeps me safe."  
  
"Couldn't keep you sane," Snape mumbled crossly.  
  
"I love him," she murmured. "I would never hurt him. I want him home."  
  
"I know you do, Cassandra," Dumbledore said. "I'm going to help you find him."  
  
Her grey eyes widened again. "Will you really? Sirius keeps promising he'll help, but he never does!"  
  
"We'll help," Dumbledore promised. "I want you to do something for me."  
  
Cassandra nodded eagerly.  
  
"Turn into the mare," he instructed. "Turn into the mare and follow Severus out of here. He'll take you back to Hogwarts while I deal with the Dementors and the ministry. You'll be safe there and we can start working on our plan to find Remus."  
  
"I can do that," she whispered, turning away from them and beginning to strip off her clothing.  
  
Snape's eyes widened and he turned away at the same time as Dumbledore whirled around.  
  
"I suppose insanity makes you less modest," Snape mumbled.  
  
Dumbledore fixed him with a steady gaze. "Take her back to Hogwarts. Promise me that you will."  
  
Snape nodded. "I promise."  
  
Behind them, a heavy hoof pawed at the glass door. Dumbledore turned with his wand and began to recite a complex incantation that would leave him exhausted for hours afterward. Within minutes the door began to lose it's magical properties and soon enough Snape could pull it open.  
  
The beautiful grey mare nuzzled him gently and he stared grimly at the Headmaster. What they were doing was a risk to everything they had ever achieved, but he would do it. If Dumbledore wanted to help her, then Snape would follow him to the ends of the earth in order to do it.  
  
"Be safe," Dumbledore whispered.  
  
Snape nodded, then started back down the long hall with a mare at his side.  
  
  
End Prologue 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
* * * *  
  
Cassandra Harvey sat with her back against the cold stone wall of the dungeons and stared at the bottles of potions that lined the cabinet in front of her. The man who had brought her to Hogwarts was no where to be seen and she huddled deeper into the robes he had given her, trying to ward off the chill of the dungeons. She was away from the Dementors, but she could feel their cold hands in the very air around her.  
  
"Stop it," she hissed, pulling the cloak around her shoulders. "You're not here anymore. I have a happy thought."  
  
A deep chuckle sounded near the doorway and Cassandra turned to see Sirius Black standing there. He had cleaned up since she had last seen him in her cell, his black hair was short and clean, and he looked like he'd had a few good meals put into him.  
  
"You didn't help me," she said.  
  
Sirius grinned. "C'mon, Cass . . . everyone thinks you did it. What good would I be?"  
  
Her grey eyes narrowed. "You know exactly what good you'd be! I needed you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
Cassandra sighed. "I'm scared and I'm lonely without him. I needed a friend so badly."  
  
Sirius walked toward her, shaking his head. "I'm just a useless hallucination. The only thing I'm good at is keeping you company while you slowly go insane."  
  
Cassandra crossed her arms haughtily. "I'm not going to go mad anymore, you prat. In case you hadn't noticed they broke me out of Azkaban."  
  
"Big deal," he said, kneeling down beside her. "Someone's bound to find you eventually and they'll throw you back in there so fast." A sly grin crossed his face. "You're never going to find Remus. You and I both know it."  
  
"I hate you," she spat angrily. "You were so nice in my cell. What the hell happened to you?"  
  
Sirius's grin widened and he leaned forward to plant a big kiss on Cassandra's cheek. "We got out, love. We're free and now I don't have to listen to your pathetic whining anymore."  
  
She growled deep in her throat. "I miss the real Sirius. You're just a stupid, bloody git and I hate you."  
  
"No you don't!" Sirius said cheerfully. "If it weren't for me you'd already be insane."  
  
"I would not," Cassandra answered. "You are not my happy thought Sirius Black."  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Come off it, love. You were so desperate to meet Remus Lupin, you were just dying to be best friends with Lily Evans, absolutely writhing with jealously whenever you heard us call each other by our secret nicknames." He grinned. "I was your saving grace. After all, who would want to be friends with an ugly, useless girl like yourself? I transformed you, I made you beautiful."  
  
"You were kind to me," Cassandra said. "This isn't you. This isn't you. I want the real Sirius!" she shrieked, putting her hands to her ears. "I want him back! Now!"  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"She's been talking to herself like that for the last hour," Snape said, motioning to Cassandra. She was still sitting against the wall with his hands over her ears, screaming to the air about wanting to see the real Sirius Black.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I thought she might be. Good idea to keep her down here where no one can hear her. Sirius is still on the run and we can't have the students know he's here."  
  
Snape stiffened at this, but said nothing. The Headmaster knew he hated having to keep Sirius Black safe in the castle, but there was nothing either of them could do about it. His innocence had been proven and he was no longer considered a criminal, but not everyone believe his story. He had almost been killed the year before in Hogsmeade, which was the reason he was now in hiding at the school.  
  
"I sent an owl up to his tower," Snape said finally. "He should be here in a few minutes."  
  
Dumbledore nodded again. "Perhaps he will be able to calm her."  
  
"I recognize her, but I don't remember her being at school with us," Snape said thoughtfully, staring at the woman who was huddled against the wall.  
  
"She was younger than you. She was in first year when you were in third."  
  
"What house?"  
  
"Gryffindor," Dumbledore said. "She was a shy little thing, though incredibly intelligent. She reminds me of our own Hermione Granger."  
  
Snape's mouth hardened into a thin line. "Though Miss. Granger is far from shy."  
  
Dumbledore smiled slightly at this, but continued to study Cassandra. "By her fourth year she was desperate for attention and tried to find it wherever she could. Of course, she couldn't believe her luck when a handsome sixth year Slytherin asked her to the Yule Ball."  
  
Snape nodded slowly. "Lucius."  
  
"Who else?" Dumbledore asked. "She thought all her dreams had come true."  
  
"Then he tried to force himself on her," a hoarse voice said from behind them. Sirius Black shed his invisibility cloak and stepped forward, "and all her dreams were shattered."  
  
"Lucky you were there that night to intervene," Dumbledore said, smiling slightly. "Of course, your actions only resulted in her intense infatuation with you."  
  
Sirius grinned slightly. "Until I introduced her to Remus."  
  
Snape rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, love at first sight and all that annoying nonsense."  
  
"Well, if someone isn't a little bitter," Sirius said, still smiling.  
  
"I wouldn't be smiling, Black," Snape snapped. "Your little friend has almost lost her mind."  
  
Sirius's grin faded and he stepped into the room, dropping the invisibility cloak onto a nearby desk. His hands wavered slightly when he heard Cassandra whimper and clutch her hands tighter to her ears.  
  
"I want the real Sirius," she murmured again.  
  
"Cass?"  
  
Her grey eyes turned upward, staring through him.  
  
"Cassandra? It's me."  
  
"Sirius? Are you in my head?"  
  
He knelt beside her. "No, love, I'm real."  
  
Her head cocked and she peered at him. "Do you think I hurt Remus?"  
  
"No, you'd never do that."  
  
"Will you help me find him?"  
  
His hands reached for hers. "Of course I will."  
  
Her gaze wavered slightly, but she continued to stare at him. Finally, she asked, "Am I going back to Azkaban?"  
  
Sirius grabbed her shoulders and hugged her fiercely. "Not while there's breath in my body."  
  
"You're real," she whispered, hugging him tightly. "The Sirius in my mind would never be so kind. He said all sorts of things to me, especially things about Remus."  
  
"I know you didn't do anything to him," Sirius said, letting go of her and sitting on the ground beside her. "And I know he wouldn't run off without telling us where he was going. Something bad happened to him and I'm going to find out what."  
  
"I want to help," she said, sounding steadier than she had all hour.  
  
Sirius nodded. "Of course."  
  
Dumbledore smiled from the doorway and nudged Snape slightly. "What did I tell you, Severus? This was the best idea I've had in a long time."  
  
Snape just sighed and stared at the two people sitting on the floor of his potions classroom. Now he was harbouring two criminals, both unfairly convicted, but both hated equally in the wizarding community. Remus Lupin was missing, presumed dead by many and the two convicts on his floor were determined to find him.  
  
Snape sighed again. It was definitely turning out to be one of the stranger day he'd ever experienced.  
  
* * * *  
  
End Chapter One 


	3. Chapter Two

Dedicated to Dia, because she's the only one reading this anyway. :D  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Remus Lupin awoke slowly, bright lights cutting through the haze of pain that he had become acustomed to living in. His eyelids fluttered, then opened completely and he stared up into the sun, hating it even more than he had the day before. He hated his cell, hated his life, hated his captors . . . whoever they were. He had never been a man to hold a grudge, he had once been so forgiving but this endless torture, this constant torment he could never forgive.  
  
The metal door creaked slightly and a tray of food was pushed through the thin slot. It banged down on the floor, the water sloshing out of the cup and nearly toppling over into the sand. Lupin's hand shot out and he grabbed the cup, not wanting to spill a single drop of the precious fluid that kept him alive. One cup a day, that was all he was ever given. And as the hot sun beat down on him from high above, he was forced to rely on that single cup of water to sustain him through the parching heat.  
  
He leaned against the stone wall behind him, staring upward to the sun. His cell was small, round and buried at least fifteen feet into the earth. It was like living in a well, a horrible, dank well with a metal door and masked men who gave him food three times a day. There was no telling where in the world he was, it was impossible for him to see anything from the floor of his cell. All he knew was that it was very hot all day, so hot that he had taken to wearing nothing more than his shredded pants and occasionally, his shirt thrown over his head to protect him from the sun.  
  
Six months he'd been in the hole, six horribly confusing months. He had marked the days on the wall, failing to see the humour in the the comparison to prisons of Azkaban, but he lost three days every month when he turned into the wolf. He lost those three nights, forgot to mark them in the pain that followed every turning. Those days were the worst, those were the days when he would miss his friends, even though James was dead and Peter had betrayed them all. During his time as the wolf he missed Sirius more than he ever thought possible. He missed Dumbledore and his aggravatingly wise comments, he even missed Severus Snape, for Merlin's sake.   
  
Yet, out of everyone he'd ever known, he missed Cassandra the most. He knew she was in Azkaban, serving time for his kidnap and murder and yet he was stuck in his well, alive and being held hostage by black robed men who had only heard about Cassandra when the news came that she had been convicted. She didn't deserve to die because of him and it was that thought that sustained him . . . he had to stay alive long enough to get her out.  
  
His days went by slowly, the seconds ticking by on an outside clock and he listened to this noise, trying to count the minutes as they passed. He lost count hourly as he fell asleep, or lapsed into a memory of some sort but he would awaken with a start and begin counting again. There was nothing else he could do to keep himself sane. Black robed men came and went, he rarely saw them, but he heard them passing by his door. They weren't Death Eaters, he had seen their bare arms during his first weeks, but they were something. Someone was employing them to keep him there, but for what reason he couldn't be sure.  
  
Remus Lupin wasn't a strong man . . . he was sure he would be useless when it came down to the fight against Voldemort and yet he thought his imprisonment must have something to do with the Dark Lord. Who else would feel the need to keep a wizard prisoner?   
  
The door creaked again and Lupin's light eyes went to it immediately, wondering what they could possibly be pushing through his door this time. A newspaper fell to the sand with a thud, dust flying up around it. He paused, then reached over and picked it up. It was a copy of the Daily Prophet and on the front was an old picture of Cassandra Harvey.  
  
"Convicted murderer of Remus Lupin escapes Azkaban," read the headline. "Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore were alarmed to find the cell of Cassandra Harvey empty when visiting her three days ago," the article began. "Both the Headmaster and Potions Master of Hogwarts were there on Ministry business, trying to reach the convict and extract information on the whereabouts of Remus Lupin's remains."  
  
Lupin didn't need to read on to know what had happened. His dry lips cracked as he broke into a rare smile and he gently fingered the picture of Cassandra.  
  
"Thank you, Albus," he murmured softly, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall. "You got her out . . . thank Merlin."  
  
"Where is she?" a harsh voice asked from the doorway.  
  
Lupin didn't open his eyes, but his grin spread wider. A shimmering bead of blood spilled from his cracked lips and ran down his chin. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked.  
  
"Tell us where she is, wolf."  
  
"No."  
  
"We'll find out anyway," the man continued.  
  
"Then why bother with me?" Lupin asked.  
  
The man at the door hesitated, then the tip of a wand slid through the slot in his door.   
  
"Crucio."  
  
Remus Lupin's world went black.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"Six months," Sirius said thoughtfully, pacing Snape's office. "He's been gone six months. Where could they possibly be holding him that we wouldn't be able to find?"  
  
"Somewhere outside of Europe," Snape replied, leaning back in his chair. "They know we'd find them too easily within the boundaries of the Ministry. They're not stupid."  
  
"But who are they?" Sirius asked, pausing to glance at Snape. "We don't even know who they are."  
  
"I'll bet my life that they're Death Eaters," Snape said.  
  
Sirius frowned. "Do you think Voldemort would go to this much trouble to put away one wizard?"  
  
"If he was a key player when it came down to the big war."  
  
Sirius's frown deepened. "Remus? A key player? I don't know about that. He's a good guy and he'd do anything for the cause, but he's not exactly keen on starting a war."  
  
"Who knows what the future holds?" Snape said vaguely. "Sybil's the only one who claims to be able to see and even I doubt the validity of her statements."  
  
"Sybil Trelawney?" Sirius asked.  
  
Snape nodded. "Yes, why?"  
  
"Didn't she say something to Harry four years ago? When he was in third year, wasn't it? He said after his exam her voice changed and she predicted something about Voldemort."  
  
Snape shrugged. "I wouldn't know."  
  
"It can't hurt to pay her a visit, can it?"  
  
"I suppose not. But what are you going to do with her?" Snape asked, pointing to where Cassandra sat on his floor, her arms wrapped around her knees. She was rocking very gently and singing in a soft tone. Snape sighed. "Will she ever get better?"  
  
Sirius nodded. "In time. After all, I got better."  
  
"Right then. Do you want to stay with her while I visit Sybil?" Snape asked.  
  
Sirius nodded again. "I can do that. Can I have the password to your chambers if someone should come in?"  
  
Snape narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then glanced at Cassnadra again and sighed. "Sugar quills," he mumbled.  
  
Sirius couldn't help but grin at this. "What was that? Sugar quills? A candy, Severus?"  
  
Snape glowered at him. "I'll be changing it the second I return," he snapped, then stood and wrapped his robes around himself. "When I come back we might want to find her something more fitting than my clothing," he said, gesturing to the large cloak Cassandra was wearing.  
  
Sirius nodded. "First things first, Severus. See what Trelawney has to say."  
  
"I doubt she'll have anything of merit," Snape said, "but I suppose it's worth a try. After all, it's not like we have any other ideas as to where Lupin might be."  
  
  
* * * * 


	4. Chapter Three

This chapter dedicated to Nita, because she's the only other person reading this. :)  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"You have come to find out about your newest student," Sybil Trelawney's voice floated on the air toward Snape. He already felt groggy from the fumes of whatever perfume she had used on the fire, but managed to find his way to a soft cushion and collapse into it.  
  
"No, Sybil," he said, waving smoke away from his face. "I'm here about Remus Lupin."  
  
Trelawney's eyes misted over at the mention of Lupin and she dabbed at the corner of her glasses with her sparkling green robes. The bracelets on her wrists clanged together and Snape cringed, hearing the noise magnified inside his already pounding head. The headache was intensified immediately when Trelawney lit a rose coloured candle, then stared deeply into her crystal ball.   
  
"No gazing into crystal balls, Sybil," Snape said impatiently. "This is serious. We need one of your real predictions."  
  
Her eyes narrowed noticeably behind her thick glasses and she glared at Snape. "One cannot force the Inner Eye to see, Severus," she lectured gently. "My mind must be completely clear of all fog or the Inner Eye shall see nothing."  
  
Snape growled deep in his throat. "Good luck clearing anything out of that head of yours," he snapped angrily. "This was a ridiculous solution to an insolvable problem. Good day." He stood quickly and turned to go, but Trelawney's hand clamped down on his wrist, her bracelets tinkling against his skin.  
  
"Her Inner Eye sees all," Trelawney whispered, her voice changed.  
  
Snape glanced down to see her eyes rolled back into her head showing him only the whites beneath.  
  
"She can lead you to the place where they keep Remus Lupin captive."  
  
"Who?" Snape asked quickly. "Who keeps him captive?"  
  
Sybil's milky white eyes seemed to focus on his face and Snape suppressed the shudder that threatened to rise up his spine. She smiled and it had a chilling effect on the room, the fire seemed to reach barely beyond the hearth and Snape felt goose bumps rise on his arms.  
  
"A traitor," she hissed, the smile still on her lips. "A traitor to us all."  
  
"Who?" Snape asked.  
  
Her gaze was unwavering. "You know him well, Severus Snape. You know him very well."  
  
"Who?" he practically roared at her, kneeling down to her level.  
  
Her smile widened. "James Potter."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
"She told you what?" Sirius practically screamed upon hearing the news of Trelawney's prediction. "She's absolutely insane. James is dead. Is she mad? Is she stupid?"  
  
Snape shook his head. "It was a genuine prediction, Sirius. I've seen too many true seers to not know when a real prediction has been made."  
  
Sirius frowned. "Are you mad? Are you stupid? Do I need to repeat myself? James. Is. Dead."  
  
"I know," Snape said fiercely. "I'm trying to figure this out myself. You're not the only one who finds this information just a little hard to digest." Both men fell silent as they tried to work through Sybil Trelawney's words. Sirius began to pace the room, his fingers twitching as he walked. Snape had written down the words when he had arrived back at the classroom and he was now scanning them quickly.  
  
"Her Inner Eye sees all," he mumbled, running a finger over the words. "Whose Inner Eye?"  
  
Sirius stopped his pacing and stared at Snape. "What was that?"  
  
"She said 'Her Inner Eye sees all. She can lead you to place where they keep Remus Lupin captive'. Then she went into James being a traitor and I lost her train of thought," Snape said. "But whose Inner Eye?"  
  
Sirius's eyes travelled over the empty classroom to where Cassandra now lay on the floor, finally dressed in a school uniform and robes that fit her. She was talking to the air, her hands pawing at something neither man could see.  
  
"Was she a seer?" Snape asked.   
  
"How would I know?"  
  
"You were her friend."  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's not like we ever did the girl talk thing."  
  
"She didn't tell you anything?" Snape asked.  
  
Sirius screwed up his face in disgust. "Yes. She told me lots of things and far too often for my liking. I really could have lived without knowing what a fantastic kisser Remus is."  
  
Snape had to stop himself from grinning, so he turned to study Cassandra as well.   
  
"She said something in her cell," Snape murmured thoughtfully. "Something about the Dark Lord being in the sky and that it could only mean one thing."  
  
"And that would be what, exactly?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Ask her," Snape growled, gesturing at Cassandra.  
  
Sirius glared at him angrily, then turned and knelt by the woman on the floor.  
  
"Hey, Cass," he said brightly, sitting beside her. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
She sat up and dusted off her robes. "Of course."  
  
"Do you . . . see things?"  
  
She snickered, then pointed to Snape. "I see that greasy git you were always talking about during school."  
  
Sirius snickered, but pushed Cassandra's hand down. "That's not what I mean. Do you ever have . . . visions? Visions of the past, or maybe of the future?"  
  
Her eyes widened. "Sure. When you're in my head you show me things and you tell me things that I'm not supposed to know."  
  
"Like what?" Sirius asked, taking her chin in his hands and forcing her to look him in the eye. "What do I tell you?"  
  
"You explain to me how You-Know-Who works," she said gravely. "You told me all about the war he'll wage when he comes back."  
  
"Did I?" Sirius asked. "Did I ever tell you anything about Remus?"  
  
She nodded. "You told me that our world lies on the shoulders of the wolf."  
  
Snape let out a deep breath. "He's a key player."  
  
Sirius held up a hand to silence him. "Did I ever say anything about the men who are keeping Remus away from us?"  
  
Cassandra nodded again. "You said Prongs had betrayed us all." Her eyes turned toward the ceiling, searching for the stars. "Everyone thinks he's dead, but Prongs betrayed us all."  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Notes: HAH! How about that cliffhanger, Dia? :P 


	5. Chapter Four

* * * *  
  
  
Dumbledore's eyes swept over the dungeon room, noting that Cassandra seemed perfectly happy sleeping on Snape's couch. The Potions Master, on the other hand, didn't look very impressed with the woman who was sprawled happily on his couch under a thick comforter. Sirius Black was sitting nearby, his dark eyes travelling over Cassandra regularly, even though she was sleeping peacefully.  
  
"James Potter?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Snape nodded slightly. "Both Sybil and Cassandra seem to believe he's done something."  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "How would that be possible?"  
  
Snape shook his head and sighed. "Believe me, Albus, if I knew I would tell you. It seems so impossible, he's dead, after all. Yet, two seers tell us the same thing, an impossible scenario yes, but we can't completely ignore them."  
  
"Yes, well, one can't always trust Sybil's predictions," Dumbledore murmured thoughtfully. "She hasn't always been the most accurate at her job, but Cassandra . . ." he trailed off and let out a sigh. "I'm at a loss for words, Severus, I really am."  
  
Snape nodded. "As am I. Sybil told us that Cassandra will lead us to where Remus is being held. Should we listen to her? Should we let Cassandra take us halfway across the world? What if she isn't even a true seer? Sirius didn't even know that she saw things until I suggested she might."  
  
"Sirius doesn't know everything, Severus."  
  
Snape sighed. "She was supposed to be one of his closest friends. One would think he would notice something like that."  
  
"The school year is nearly over, Severus," Dumbledore said. "If you wanted to see where Cassandra could take the two of you I would gladly administer your final exam to the students."  
  
Snape nodded slowly, watching Sirius and Cassandra. The woman was obviously asleep, but it didn't seem as though Sirius was ready to let her leave his sight. She turned slightly and murmured something into her pillow and Sirius leaned forward, intent on catching anything she might say to him.  
  
"Sirius, please," Dumbledore said. "We need to discuss matters with you as well. Cassandra will be fine on her own. She's a mere ten feet away from us."  
  
Sirius nodded slowly, then got out of the chair and went to the doorway where Dumbledore and Snape were standing. His eyes remained on Cassandra for a long moment before he could fully commit himself to the conversation.  
  
"Any plans?" he asked.  
  
Snape nodded. "Pack your bags. We're going on a little trip."  
  
"We're going to let her lead us around the world?" Sirius asked.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Truthfully, Sirius, it seems to be our only option. If Remus really is a key player in the war then we need him. Soon."  
  
Snape nodded in agreement. "His life is at stake, not to mention all of ours, if Sybil and Cassandra speak true."  
  
"They do," Sirius said sharply.  
  
Snape frowned. "Then you believe what they say about Potter?"  
  
Sirius opened his mouth uncertainly, then glanced at Cassandra and closed it.  
  
"I didn't think so," Snape said.  
  
"I didn't say I didn't believe them," Sirius said softly. "I just don't see how it's possible. Does everyone here forget that James is dead?"  
  
Dumbledore touched Sirius's arm. "We do not forget, we're only trying to unwrap this puzzle before something terrible happens."  
  
Sirius nodded slowly. "I know, you're both right." He straightened and stared at the other two men. "When do we leave?"   
  
Dumbledore smiled. "It might be best to let Cassandra have a few nights of peaceful rest before you begin a long journey, Sirius, though I am quite pleased to see you so dedicated to this."  
  
"Are you sure Cass is safe here?" he asked, glancing over at her a final time.  
  
Snape's eyes went to the Headmaster at this as well. "Yes, Albus, are you certain she should stay in my chambers, of all the places in the school?"  
  
Dumbledore's smile grew wider. "And where do you suggest that I have her stay, Severus? I hardly think she'd be comfortable in one of my office chairs or the tower that Sirius stays in. You both know she can't be seen in the school, she is still considered a dangerous criminal."  
  
Sirius cast another worried glance over his shoulder at the mention of this. "You're right," he grudgingly admitted. "She'll be best off here."  
  
Snape cocked an eyebrow, but decided against saying anything more. He didn't need Dumbledore to tell him that Cassandra would be safest in his chambers, he already knew that it was the best place for her, but Snape didn't want to further aggravate the situation Sirius was already in. It was disgustingly apparent how much the man cared for her, he watched over her as if she was his child instead of his friend, just a few years younger than he.   
  
"Both of you should get some rest as well," Dumbledore said. "The days ahead are going to full, they won't be easy." He turned his blue eyes to Sirius. "I want you to work with Cassandra daily, try to make her come out of the shell she created in Azkaban. She needs to be focused in order to find Remus."  
  
Sirius nodded. "I'll do my best."  
  
"Good night then," Dumbledore said, then turned from the doorway and moved down the hall. Sirius and Snape remained where they were standing for a moment longer, then Sirius reached for his invisibility cloak and shrugged it over his shoulders. He disappeared from sight and Snape heard his footsteps fade as he walked down the hall and toward the stairs that would lead him back to his tower.   
  
Snape shut the door and moved deeper into his room, hanging his robes in the closet before turning to study Cassandra. She looked far older than her years, lines crinkling the corners of her eyes and mouth. A few silver hairs glimmered in the dim candlelight, a sharp contrast to her black hair. Snape supposed time in Azkaban could age a person. She was far too thin, her collarbone was visible beneath her pale skin and it looked to Snape like he could probably wrap both hands around her tiny waist. He wondered, briefly, what Lupin would do if he saw her in this state.  
  
It was only a brief thought because she had opened her eyes as he studied her and was now staring at him just as intently. When Snape finally caught her eye, she beamed and he had to smile back. Whatever had ravaged her body in Azkaban certainly hadn't been able to break down her soul. She might be insane, but the woman was happy.  
  
"We're going to find him," she said and Snape wondered if it was a prediction or a statement of hope. "The men have snakes on their backs, but we'll find him and we'll save him."  
  
Snape started forward to ask what she meant by 'snakes on their backs', but Cassandra turned over and closed his eyes before he had the chance. He hurried off to write down her words, knowing that even the strangest thing could mean something.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lupin stared upward at the early morning sky, wondering exactly what Dumbledore planned on doing with Cassandra. The possibilities were endless, of course. He could hide her for the rest of her life, he could turn her into someone else, Muggles did it all the time. He could do any number of things to make sure she never went back to Azkaban and Lupin hoped he did them all, but he still had to wonder if the Headmaster knew about her ability to see.   
  
He himself hadn't known about it until a year after her graduation, the same day she had found out that he was a werewolf. They had been shopping in Hogsmeade, Lupin had jokingly dragged her into a dress shop, hoping to distract her while he bought the ingredients to his potion. If Cassandra had seen him buying wolfsbane she would have known, it would have been impossible for her not to fit the clues together after that. He was never available around the full moon and she wasn't a stupid girl.  
  
So while she was ogling a violet dress, Lupin slipped out and gone to the shop down the street where he bought his wolfsbane. If only she hadn't found the perfect dress for the upcoming wedding that they were supposed to attend, it only Lily hadn't told Cassandra days before that deep green was 'absolutely her colour', then she never would have gone looking for Lupin. But she had, and she had seen the wolfsbane pass into her hand and in that moment she understood everything.   
  
He was far more devastated than she was, of course. It was only natural that Lupin thought she'd be disgusted and repulsed by him, that she'd never want to touch him again. But Cassandra collected his wolfsbane and paid for it when he fled the shop, pushing past her and running down the street. She held the bag carefully as she went in search for him, poking her head into shops and calling his name into allies. It had taken her nearly twenty minutes to find him crouched near the Shrieking Shack, his head in his hands and his entire body shaking.  
  
"Remus," she said and he flinched. She fell silent, staring at him and wondering what she could possibly say. "I don't care," she said finally.  
  
He looked up at her, tears pooled in the corners of his hazel eyes. "How could you not care?" he asked, choking on the words. "I'm a monster."  
  
Cassandra crouched next to him and pushed the bag of wolfsbane into his hands. "You're not a monster, you're just different."  
  
He laughed harshly. "I'm a werewolf."  
  
"Big deal," she said. "I see things and you don't see me complaining."  
  
He stared up at her. "You see things?"  
  
Cassandra nodded. "I'm a seer, Remus, now you know. We both know."  
  
He fell silent, still leaning against the fence that boxed in the Shrieking Shack. He had never known she was a seer and she had never known he was a werewolf. Lupin raised his head slightly and found Cassandra's grey eyes staring at him intently. He could see it there, she really didn't care. So, he smiled, slightly at first, then stood and took her hand.  
  
Cassandra smiled back and said, "There's an amazing dress that I want to buy for James and Lily's wedding. Come on, I'll show it to you."  
  
They had walked back to Hogsmeade together, Cassandra making Lupin tell her exactly how to brew the potion. She had always been better at potions that he was, she would take over the task of making his drink each night, just like she would take over everything else and Lupin would let her. It felt good to let someone else worry for a change and that was quite possibly the moment he had fallen in love with her.  
  
He wondered how she was feeling now, was Azkaban still in her head? Had it driven her completely mad, or would she recover in time? Mostly Lupin wondered if she would be able to lead the others to his prison, because if anyone could it would be her. She was his only hope to escape and he clung to that hope like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. It was the only thing he had left to believe it.  
  
The stars faded above him, the sky slowly turning from navy to blue as streaks of pink shot across the clouds. Lupin wondered where he was, wondered if he and his friends were sharing the same sky. Would they see the pink if they looked out the window, or were they so far away that they would only see the black night? He had no way of knowing, but he pretended that the moon was shining down on them at that moment. He liked to imagine that the moon would watch over them, Cassandra and Sirius, like it had never watched over him.  
  
"Breakfast," a voice grunted and a plate of food was shoved through the door.  
  
Lupin sat up and sighed, beginning another endless day.  
  
  
* * * * 


	6. Chapter Five

I'm suddenly loving writing this fic more than before! Weee! Another flashback just 'cause Nita likes 'em so much. :D  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Sirius paced an empty classroom, pausing occasionally to glace at Cassandra before he resumed his path. She remained silent, throwing him a grin every time he stopped to look at her, then went back to her own task as he returned to his. Though anyone who might have seen Cassandra's task would have thought she had gone completely insane. While Sirius was partaking in the perfectly normal exercise that was pacing, Cassandra magically balancing chess pieces of top of one another but she never seemed satisfied with the way they looked. Every time she got the last one onto the pile she would frown and wave her hand at the stack, causing it to topple onto the ground and she would begin again.   
  
"Cass, what are you doing?" Sirius asked finally, stopping to look at her.  
  
She glanced up at him, then balanced the black Queen on a black bishop. "Rearranging the order of things."  
  
Sirius shook his head. "You can't rearrange the order of things by playing with chess pieces."  
  
Cassandra looked shocked at this. "I can't?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh," she said, then shrugged and knocked over the pile once more. "You could have told me earlier."  
  
Sirius resisted the urge to run screaming from the room and beg to be taken back to Azkaban. As much as he loved his friend he couldn't help feeling like he was talking to a small child who didn't understand a single word he said. It was very frustrating.  
  
"Cassandra," he started, lowering himself to the ground by her side, "do you remember anything before Azkaban?"  
  
Her steely eyes met his and she nodded. "Of course, Sirius. I'm not stupid." She smiled. "A little insane, perhaps, but not stupid."  
  
Sirius smiled back. "What do you remember?"  
  
"Hogwarts, you, James and Lily, Remus," she said, still smiling. "I remember my friends, isn't that what's important?"  
  
Sirius stared at her, then sighed. "What's the last thing you remember before being taken away to Azkaban?"  
  
Cassandra blinked a few times, then beamed. "Want to know what my happy memory was, Sirius?"  
  
"No, Cass, I want to know what you remember before-"  
  
"It was that last time we were all together," she said, interrupting him. "We were in Hogsmeade just before Harry was born and we had a picnic. Do you remember?"  
  
Sirius nodded. "I remember."  
  
"That's what kept me alive," she said very seriously. "Picturing James and Lily, alive and happy. Seeing Peter laugh for the first time in ages." She paused, then said, "He had a very beautiful laugh."  
  
Sirius nodded again.  
  
"You and Remus were playing Quidditch on these pathetically small brooms," she said, laughing suddenly. "They could barely lift the two of you off the ground."  
  
"Not to mention we only had a battered Quaffle to play with," Sirius added.  
  
Cassandra nodded and grinned. "That's right. Then the sun started to set and Remus looked at the moon, really looked at it, for the first time in years. Remember how much it used to frighten him? But that night he stared at it full on and he told me that it didn't scare him anymore. We were so happy that night, Sirius, all of us. It was the last happy time before Peter tore it apart."  
  
Sirius remained silent, letting her talk her way toward her last memory before Azkaban.  
  
"They're working together," she said softly. "Prongs and Wormtail. I saw them."  
  
"When?"  
  
"In here," she said, tapping her temple. "They were in here right before they came for Remus."  
  
"Who came for him?" Sirius asked gently.  
  
Cassandra looked down. "We were sleeping," she began. "My parents were coming the next day, I remember that. We had just finished cleaning the entire house and we were exhausted . . . we just fell into bed that night, neither of us checking to make sure the house was locked up." She laughed bitterly. "Not that a simple lock would have stopped Prongs." She shook her head. "No, they came for him and they burst into our bedroom. Wormtail stepped forward and put Remus under the Imperius curse then told him to get up and get his robes. Prongs just stared, he just watched and stared until Remus was ready to leave, then he walked over to him and . . ." she trailed off, tears brimming in her eyes. "He cut him, Sirius. James cut Remus and he spilled his blood on the bed and on me. He told me it was my punishment for seeing things that I shouldn't, but I don't mean to see them, I swear I don't."  
  
"James is dead," Sirius said softly.  
  
Cassandra stared at him, her eyes wide. "I know, Sirius. He's dead, but I saw him and that's what makes me crazy." She shook her head. "They put some sort of binding spell on me and I couldn't move to call the Ministry. They found me like that the next morning, covered in Remus' blood and sobbing into the pillows. What else could they do? I was convicted within days."  
  
"You promise me that's what happened?" Sirius asked.  
  
Cassandra nodded. "I swear it, Sirius. I know what happened."  
  
He looked at her for a long moment then smiled. "You're still in here, aren't you?"  
  
She smiled back. "Every bit of me, but there's times when I don't believe it."  
  
"Times like when you're playing with chess pieces and trying to rearrange the order of things?" he asked.  
  
Cassandra frowned, then looked at the scattered chess pieces. "I was trying to . . ." she trailed off and shook her head. "I'm insane, Sirius, give me a bit of a break."  
  
"You seem fairly coherent to me," Snape said silkily from the doorway and both she and Sirius jumped. He made his way into the room and studied both of them. Cassandra stared back for a long moment then stifled a laugh.  
  
Snape rose an eyebrow at her. "Is something funny?"  
  
"Severus?" she asked. "Severus Snape?"  
  
He frowned. "I am quite certain that I look the same as I did yesterday."  
  
"I don't remember much of yesterday," Cassandra said. "My mind cuts in and out all the time, something I worked very hard on in Azkaban."  
  
Snape inclined his head slightly. "Very well. Then yes, I am indeed Severus Snape."  
  
A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. "You haven't changed a bit."  
  
Sirius laughed. "No, that he hasn't."  
  
Snape stared at them both sourly.   
  
"Excited for our little trip, Snapey?" Sirius asked, standing.  
  
Snape cocked an eyebrow. "I can hardly contain my excitement. Isn't it apparent, Black?" he asked, reverting back to the safe haven of addressing Sirius formally.   
  
Cassandra stood up as well, stepping between the two of them. "When do we leave?"  
  
"When you become slightly less insane," Sirius said dryly. "And when Snape stops being such a wet blanket."  
  
Snape snorted and rolled his eyes. "What a joy this will be. Endless months on the road with two disgustingly cheerful Gryffindors. Why don't I just hang myself now and be done with it?"  
  
Sirius grinned and ruffled Snape's hair. "Because then our darling Remmie might die and you couldn't live with that on your shoulders."  
  
Snape growled and patted his hair. "I would have hung myself, Black, his death wouldn't be on my shoulders."  
  
Sirius' grin grew wider. "C'mon, Snapey, let's pack!"  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Pacing took Lupin's mind off his current state and back into the past where he could find memories to entertain him. The past was a safe haven for him while the present scared him more than he cared to think about. The past held his friends, his family, his days at Hogwarts, all things that made him feel safe again. There were certain occasions that he preferred to concentrate on, of course, and he went over them again and again until every detail was perfectly captured in his mind. Winning Quidditch matches were played over and over again, as were the times he had received a secret Valentine in third and seventh year. Lupin had always had the feeling that Sirius sent the one in third year as a joke because he couldn't imagine how many girls as Hogwarts would sign their card, 'Your hairy ... er, beautiful admirer'.  
  
The first time he'd seen Cassandra was also a winning memory, even though it irked him slightly to think about it. It bothered him that he'd never noticed her before, regardless of the fact that they'd been in the same house and what annoyed him even more was that he had been infatuated with her immediately. She, of course, had still been madly infatuated with Sirius.  
  
  
  
Lupin glanced up from his homework in the common room when the portrait hole swung open. It was last, nearly curfew and most of the Gryffindors were doing their homework or talking quietly in small groups. It didn't surprise him to see Sirius Black step into the room and he raised a hand to his friend. What Lupin didn't expect was the pretty girl that followed him.  
  
"Hey, Moony," Sirius said, walking toward the couch where Lupin sat. The dark haired girl followed him.  
  
"Hey," Lupin said uncertainly.   
  
"Homework?" Sirius asked, sitting next to his friend. The pretty girl sat next to Sirius, though he completely ignored her.  
  
"Yeah," Lupin said, his eyes on the girl.  
  
Sirius noticed his gaze and turned, finally noticing her behind him. "Cassandra! Good God, why won't you stop following me?"  
  
The girl blushed deeply, but her stunning grey eyes never left Sirius' face.   
  
Sirius sighed and rolled his eyes. "Remus, this is Cassandra. Cass, this is Remus."  
  
She tossed him the barest smile, but it had been enough. Remus Lupin was officially infatuated with the girl who was officially infatuated with Sirius.   
  
"When did you get a new best friend?" Lupin asked, still staring at Cassandra.  
  
"Two nights ago," Sirius growled. "Lucius asked her to the Yule Ball and he got a little . . . pushy, let's say. Lucky I was there to stop him, but this is the result. She's been following me around like this all day long. I don't think she even left my side to go to class."  
  
"I assume you're in Gryffindor," Lupin said to Cassandra.  
  
She finally glanced at him and offered him a slightly warmer smile. "Yes. I'm a fourth year."  
  
"I've never seen you before," Lupin said.  
  
Cassandra smiled softly. "No one ever has."  
  
Sirius sighed. "She's convinced she's a wallflower. I noticed her in first year."  
  
"You did?" she asked, then sighed dreamily.  
  
"Good Lord," Sirius groaned. "Yes, Cass, I noticed you during the Sorting Ceremony in your first year. But not like that!"  
  
Lupin just smiled.  
  
  
  
That had been their first encounter, not very romantic, he would admit, but it had been a memory worth keeping. She had been beautiful, even at fourteen with thick dark hair and lustrous eyes. He had barely been able to concentrate on his homework that night because she had been sitting so close to him.  
  
Sirius had demanded that she sit on the couch while he took an armchair and played chess with James, so Cassandra had perched obediently beside Lupin. She would glance down on occasion to look at the homework he was doing, then back up at Sirius. It had been torture for Lupin, having his knee brush against hers any time he moved to get a book. The worst had been when he was grumbled under his breath about losing his quill and they had both seen it at the same time.  
  
Cassandra's fingers had closed down on it a second before Lupin's hand and he found himself holding a warm hand rather than a soft feather. He had blinked, then glanced at Cassandra and quickly dropped her hand. She had smiled and handed him the quill and Lupin went back to his homework, sure that his ears were burning. Still, it hadn't hurt anything and she had paid more attention to him that night after their experience with the quill.   
  
Lupin leaned against the wall of his cell and tried on another smile. It felt strange on his face, but he kept it there anyway. They would find him, he was sure of it. She would never give up on him, never.  
  
  
* * * * 


	7. Chapter Six

* * * *  
  
  
"We have to what?" Snape asked, staring at Dumbledore as if the Headmaster had sprouted another head. "You must be joking. I know you fancy yourself quite the joker, Albus, but this is where I draw the line."  
  
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled and he smiled at Sirius and Cassandra. "No, Severus, I am quite serious."  
  
Snape's face went slack, all expression dropping off it. "No," he said. "I won't do it."  
  
"Severus, if we want to find Remus it's the only way," Cassandra said softly.  
  
Snape stared at her. "You go find Remus, I'll stay here if that's what this trip includes."  
  
"If you're travelling in the Muggle world you have to look like you belong there," Sirius said.  
  
"I refuse to travel in the Muggle world, I refuse to wear . . . demin janes, or whatever you call them."  
  
Cassandra grinned. "Denim jeans."  
  
"Whatever," Snape snapped angrily. "And on top of that, I absolutely refuse to travel with these two posing as HER FATHER!"  
  
"Severus," Dumbledore said calmly, "We need to convince the Muggle that you're just a group of regular people passing through."  
  
"Why can't HE be her father?" he asked angrily, pointing at Sirius. "He can be her father and I'll be her husband."  
  
Cassandra wrinkled up her nose and glanced at Sirius, then back at Snape. "How about neither of you come and I galavant across the world by myself?"  
  
"Bad idea," Sirius said. "You're still partially crazy."  
  
Cassandra glared at him, then crossed her arms, noticing finally that she was wearing mittens. She flushed and pulled them off as Sirius raised his eyebrow in that 'I told you so' look.  
  
"Severus, please," Dumbledore said, sitting behind his desk and studying the three of them. "You may not like hearing this but you look quite a bit older than Sirius does, it would be more believable for you to be her father." He raised his hand when Snape opened his mouth to protest and continued. "Second, the way the two of them speak to each other do you really believe for a second that any Muggle wouldn't see right through them?"  
  
Snape glanced at Cassandra and Sirius, then sighed deeply. "Fine. I'll travel in the Muggle world, I'll wear the janes," he sneered.  
  
"Jeans," Sirius supplied.  
  
"Fine," he snapped. "Jeans. And I'll pretend to be her father." He glared maliciously at Sirius. "But if I'm her father and you're her husband I'll be keeping a bloody close eye on you."  
  
Sirius snorted. "Please, Snapey, like I'd put the moves on my best friend's girl." He leaned forward and put his hand to one side of his mouth as if he were about to tell a great secret. "Not to mention that I like my women sane."  
  
"Shut up, Sirius!" Cassandra grumbled. "I take it back. Imaginary Sirius might be better than you. Even Severus is better than you."  
  
Snape just rolled his eyes.  
  
"Come on, Cass," Sirius said, suddenly serious. "I didn't mean it."  
  
She glanced at him, a smile on her lips. "You're really worried about all this, aren't you?"  
  
He nodded. "Of course. You know how I deal with stress."  
  
"You make fun of Severus!" Cassandra said cheerfully.  
  
Snape glared at Dumbledore. "I like her less and less with every piece of sanity that she gets back."  
  
Dumbledore smiled widely. "Go on, Severus. It'll be an experience."  
  
"Experience in what hell must be like?" Snape grumbled, walking toward the door. "I'm going to pack," he said, then stomped down the winding staircase that led from the Headmaster's office.   
  
Once he was gone, Dumbledore turned to the others. "Severus might need to lighten up a bit, but I don't want either of you forgetting the seriousness of what you three are doing. Whoever is holding Remus captive is very powerful and very dangerous. If there is any news I want an owl sent to me immediately, you may take one of the school owls with you to send information."  
  
Sirius nodded. "We're ready for this, Albus."  
  
"I hope so, Sirius. I sincerely hope so. This isn't a joke, despite your nature and I don't want it treated in such a manner any longer."  
  
Cassandra stepped forward and smiled slightly. "I wanted to thank you for getting me out of there," she whispered. "I don't know how much longer I would have lasted."  
  
Dumbledore turned his attention from Sirius to Cassandra and he smiled back. "I did what I had to, my dear."  
  
"You saved my life," she said softly. "And you've saved Remus' life. No one else but me can find him."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I truly believe that."  
  
"We won't disappoint you," she promised.  
  
He smiled. "I truly believe that as well."  
  
"Bye," Sirius called, then turned and headed toward the staircase with Cassandra following him. It was hard for him to fathom the depth of the journey they were about to take, but Dumbledore was right. It was time to stop joking and think seriously about what was ahead.  
  
A half hour later the three of them were in the Great Hall, Cassandra and Sirius hidden by his invisibility cloak and Snape looked extremely uncomfortable in the jeans and sweater Dumbledore had supplied him with. Each of them was carrying a magically expanded backpack containing everything they might need on their trip. Even their robes were tucked into a small compartment, in case they needed to enter the wizarding world and look like they belonged there.  
  
"Stop picking at the sweater," Cassandra hissed as they walked off the grounds and toward Hogsmeade. Snape immediately stopped picking at the hem, but glared in her direction, unsure of exactly where she was standing.   
  
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Snape leading to way at a quick pace, his backpack occasionally slipping off his shoulders as he walked. The two others had to job to keep up with his long strides and were so out of breath by the time they reached Hogsmeade that neither of them could have spoken if they wanted to.  
  
"Give me your money," Snape said. "I'll have it changed at Gringotts."  
  
Cassandra and Sirius quickly handed him their money pouches, then waited outside the large, white building as Snape changed their Galleons, Sickles and Knuts into Pounds. He stepped outside and handed them back quickly when two hands appeared out of thin air.  
  
"Really, Snape," Sirius said. "You ought to be more careful when dismembered hands reach for our money. That could have been anyone."  
  
Snape just rolled his eyes and said nothing, motioning for them to follow him. They walked quickly across the small town and down a dirt road that led them away from the busy stores and pubs. Within minutes another building was coming into sight and Cassandra had to squint to read the writing on the side.  
  
"Train Station," the sign flashed in sparkling red letters. "Trains to London, trains to the King Cross Station. If you're not a student at Hogwarts, this train is for you."  
  
Cassandra smiled at Sirius, then hurried after Snape as he entered the station. Within minutes he had managed to get all three of them onto a train to London without Sirius or Cassandra being seen and they were now secure in a compartment near the back. According to the announcement, the train ride would take them exactly four hours and thirty six minutes and Sirius leaned back, prepared to take a nap.  
  
"We need to work out what we'll do once we're in London," Snape said.  
  
Sirius opened his eyes reluctantly. "Now?"  
  
"Yes, now."  
  
He sighed. "Fine."  
  
"It'll be nearing eight o'clock by the time we get there," Cassandra said. "Should be just get a room at a hotel and wait until morning to make the next trip?"  
  
"Next trip where?" Sirius asked. "We're not even sure where we're going yet."  
  
Cassandra looked at him sourly. "I'm working on it, okay? I can't just have visions whenever I want."  
  
"I'm sure Trelawney could have lent you a crystal ball," Sirius supplied.  
  
Cassandra's eyes narrowed. "I sometimes wonder why I ever had a crush on you."  
  
Sirius grinned. "Quite the fierce crush too, if I recall correctly."  
  
Cassandra just growled in her throat and turned her attention back to Snape. "Hopefully by morning I'll know where we're headed and then we can plan our-" she stopped mid sentence and slumped backward against the seat.  
  
"Cass?" Sirius asked in alarm.  
  
Snape sat up straight and stared at her. "Has she ever done this before?"  
  
Sirius shook his head. "I-I don't know. Maybe. I haven't seen her in a very long time."  
  
"Sybil went into a trance when she told me about Potter," Snape said softly. "Perhaps something similar happens to Cassandra when she starts to see something."  
  
"Quiet," she snapped, her eyes opening. They looked completely normal, nothing like the milky white Snape had seen when talking to Sybil. "I don't see things, exactly," she said. "I . . . sense things. I see people, not places."  
  
"And?" Sirius asked.  
  
Cassandra let out a deep sigh. "London is the right direction. That's all I know right now."  
  
"I wish we had a more reliable way of knowing where to go," Snape said.  
  
Cassandra met his eyes and nodded. "So do I."  
  
  
* * * * 


	8. Chapter Seven

* * * *  
  
  
Sirius stared at his reflection in the mirror over the sink and rubbed a hand over his face. He looked ragged and they had only been travelling for a few hours, nothing compared to the journey he was facing. Snape had managed to find a fairly decent motel for them to stay in, even if it wasn't on the high end of the Queen's list of places to stay, and Sirius was perfectly happy with the warm bed and clean bathroom.   
  
He stared into the mirror again and sighed. Why hadn't it occurred to him to bring a razor on their trip? Out of everything he'd shoved into his magically expanded backpack there wasn't a single razor. He supposed he could magically shave, there had to be some kind of spell that would do it, but he wasn't about to point his wand at his face and say something like, 'razor blade' until he was sure it would work.   
  
He sighed again, then turned on the water and splashed some over his face. A moment later he turned and pressed a fluffy towel against his skin. Still pressing the towel against his neck, Sirius turned toward the bedroom area and glanced out at Cassandra. She was sitting on one of the beds, watching in amusement as Snape flicked the television set off and on. She was running a brush through her long hair, pulling it over her thin shoulders and brushing out the knots.  
  
"Snape found a new toy?" Sirius asked, entering the room.  
  
Cassandra glanced up at him and smiled. Snape, on the other hand, didn't look so happy when he whirled around and dropped his hand from the television. He scowled at Sirius, then turned and went to the door that connect his room to theirs. Without another word he stomped into his room and slammed the door.  
  
Sirius opened his mouth to make a sarcastic comment to Cassandra when the door opened again and he found Snape's black eyes glaring at him.  
  
"If you put a hand on my daughter while I'm in the next room, I'll kill you," he growled, his eyes gleaming happily.  
  
Sirius chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Snape, you're taking this role playing thing a little too seriously. If you just want an excuse to kill me, you'll be happy to know that I don't think you even need one. Murder me in my sleep, go ahead, see what happens."  
  
Snape just glared at him for a moment longer, then slammed the door again.  
  
"Honestly," Sirius muttered, attempting to sound disdainful. Cassandra just laughed, so he jumped onto the bed and flopped down next to her. "Are you laughing at me?"  
  
She shrugged and continued to brush her hair. Sirius frowned slightly, then followed her movements with his eyes, noticing for the first time how really sick she looked when she wasn't smiling. Azkaban still haunted her eyes, he would see the demons floating behind the pale grey, their effects evident in her greying hair and thin form. She was far from old, yet the prison had taken its toll on her, much like it had done to him. Sirius wondered if his eyes still looked that gaunt and frightening.  
  
"Cass?" he asked gently.  
  
She put the brush down on the beside table and stared at it for a long moment. "I took things like brushing my hair for granted before I went to Azkaban," she said softly. "I didn't realize how much would be taken away from me."  
  
Sirius nodded. "I know how that is."  
  
"The dementors are always . . ." she trailed off, struggling to find the words. "They're always here with me. I can always feel their cold hands on my neck and it makes me realize that I didn't earn my freedom. Nothing has been proven yet."  
  
"That's what we're doing," Sirius said. "We're getting Remus back so we can prove your innocence."  
  
Cassandra stared at him. "That relies on me, though," she said. "What if I can't find him?"  
  
"Don't think that," Sirius said. "You saw something on the train."  
  
Cassandra broke their steady gaze and stared down at her hands.  
  
"Cass, you can't keep secrets from us during this time."  
  
"I know," she whispered, "but it hurts. Some of it has nothing to do with Remus. I can't control what I see."  
  
"You can tell me," Sirius said. "I'm about the only friend you've got right now."  
  
Cassandra sighed. "From here we have to take a plane to Naples, Italy. I don't know how I know, but I do. From there . . . I don't know anything yet, but things become clearer the closer we get to our destination. Naples is next."  
  
Sirius studied her for a moment. "You said it hurts. What hurts?"  
  
She just shook her head. "I get flashes of things . . . James mostly, sometimes Peter." Her face hardened when she said his name and her hands clenched. "I don't really believe that it's James, but I know Peter's a traitor. That coward. I hate him." She sighed and relaxed slightly. "I just keep remembering times when things seemed so perfect. Then I see Peter doing things to people, trembling as he follows his master's orders and I realize that he was probably doing it the entire time we were friends." She shook her head. "Remus and I watched our lives fall apart around us because of him."  
  
Sirius snorted softly. "You two weren't the only ones."  
  
She glanced at him. "He made us doubt you."  
  
"He made me doubt myself."  
  
"Lily and James were dead, Harry was with Hagrid, Peter was dead, you were the murderer of all three. We struggled with that, I wanted to hate you and I couldn't."  
  
"Why?" Sirius asked.  
  
Cassandra caught his eye. "Because I knew. And that made me dangerous."  
  
Understanding dawned on Sirius. "The Ministry knew too, didn't they?"  
  
Cassandra nodded. "I think so. When I went to the Head of the Ministry with my suspicions he nearly pushed me out of his office. They couldn't find a reason to put me away until Remus went missing . . . though I'm not sure of the reason by that point. You had already escaped, people knew about Peter and what had really happened. Still . . . they wanted to cover their tracks I guess, make sure no one knew that they had known the truth."  
  
Sirius laughed bitterly. "So they locked you in Azkaban so that you couldn't tell anyone. That's disgusting."  
  
"I got over it," Cassandra said. "I'm not taking on the Ministry, not with what they've already done to me."  
  
"But when we find Remus that will prove that you didn't do anything," Sirius protested.  
  
Cassandra nodded. "And that's where it has to end. I don't care about justice or anything, I just want to get back to my life."  
  
"You lost six months because of them," Sirius said.  
  
"I know, but I don't want to deal with it anymore."  
  
"Remus won't let you just forget about it."  
  
"Remus will have to understand," she said softly.  
  
Sirius fell silent, then leaned back against the headboard and stared at the wall. Cassandra settled down beside him, then picked up the remote control and began to flip through channels.   
  
"You said you remember how things used to be?" Sirius asked quietly.  
  
Cassandra switched off the television and looked up at him. "Constantly."  
  
"Describe what you see."  
  
She looked surprised. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Pick something you saw recently," he said, "and tell me about it. I don't remember those things as well as I would have liked."  
  
Cassandra smiled slightly, then leaned against him and closed her eyes. "The most recent was the Yule Ball in your seventh year."  
  
Sirius nodded and grinned. "Ah yes, the last Yule Ball of our time there."  
  
"Everything was perfect," Cassandra began. "You, James, Remus and Peter looked so good in your dress robes and Lily and I had bought new ones just for that ball. Her were silver and perfectly gorgeous on her . . . of course, Lily never realized just how beautiful she was. Mine were-"  
  
"Green," Sirius said, "I remember that. Lily went nuts over them and insisted you wear green to her wedding."  
  
Cassandra nodded. "She thought they looked perfect on me. I thought they looked pretty nice myself."  
  
"They did," Sirius said.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Don't tell Remmie, I said that," he said with a grin.  
  
Cassandra nudged him, then continued her story. "It was just a magical night. The Great Hall was beautiful. Dumbledore had bewitched the sky so that snow fell, just touching our skin before it melted from sight and there was mistletoe practically everywhere. You have to give that man credit; he made the students awfully happy."  
  
"He still does," Sirius said.  
  
"James and Lily kissed under practically every bunch of mistletoe," she continued. "You kept trying to push me and Remus under a certain area, as I recall. It was a good thing we didn't end up under there, Sirius, I remember what happened when Severus and Lucius walked under it together."  
  
"On their way to do something foul, no doubt," Sirius added.  
  
Cassandra grinned. "They were stuck there for hours until Dumbledore made you take the charm off the mistletoe."  
  
"One kiss," Sirius said. "That's all the charm required to be broken."  
  
Cassandra laughed. "That's asking a lot, Sirius." She fell silent, still smiling, then sighed. "I remember dancing with . . . everyone. James and you and, of course, Remus. When I remember things like the ball . . . that's when I miss him the most. I can almost feel him, his hands on my waist, his breath tickling my face." She smiled. "He certainly wasn't much taller than me, was he?"  
  
Sirius shook his head, smiling fondly.  
  
"I miss little things," she said softly.   
  
"About Remus?"  
  
"About life. Certainly about Remus as well, but mostly just how I lived in school. Your friendship, for one. I took you and Lily for granted, most certainly. One day you were both there and then the next both of you were gone. I missed the sun, I missed reading a book. I missed the simple task of making myself a meal. I missed having arms around me as I sleep."  
  
Sirius sighed. "You're depressing me."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"So, off to Naples?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
Cassandra glanced at him and nodded. "We'll book a flight tomorrow."  
  
"You think Snape will like that? A flight?"  
  
Cassandra grinned. "He'll have to deal with it, won't he?"  
  
Sirius smiled and settled back against the wall again, quite content to just sit there, remembering things that had come and gone, things that had made him happy. With Cassandra leaning against him, he couldn't remember a time when he'd felt so safe and content. Life hadn't been fun since escaping Azkaban, but for the first time he felt as if he was doing something worthwhile. It gave him direction, something Sirius Black sorely needed.  
  
  
* * * * 


	9. Chapter Eight

Finally! I only hope this chapter satisfies the one who's been waiting for it. :D  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Two days and three airline tickets later, Snape was standing in the London airport, staring nervously as Cassandra and Sirius checked in and had their backpacks loaded onto the airplane. He didn't like the way the conveyer belt moved, taking his belongings away from him. He didn't like the idea of flying either, especially since they would be strapped into an enormous chunk of metal without a broom to save them if the engines stopped running and the chunk of metal plummeted from the sky.   
  
"Are you sure about this?" he asked Cassandra for what was quite possibly the hundredth time since they'd purchased the tickets. "Do you swear on Remus' life that this . . . airplane, as you call it, won't fall out of the sky?" He tried not to look nervous and obviously failed miserably when Cassandra just shook her head and ignored his question.  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Snape, it's a four hour trip. You'll be fine. We're just going to Naples and then no more planes."  
  
"Did I ask you, Black?" Snape growled.   
  
It was apparent he wasn't going to like flying very much, not that Cassandra blamed him. She didn't particularly like getting into an airplane but there was really no other way for them to get to Italy quickly. They could, of course, walk to the edge of England and take a boat to Italy, but Cassandra wasn't sure how long that would take and she wasn't looking forward to spending weeks on the road with Sirius and Snape squabbling like children.   
  
"This way," she said, motioning them to follow her. "Our plane boards in an hour, so we have time to get something to eat."  
  
Sirius and Snape followed quickly, still glaring at each other angrily every few seconds as they went. It seemed that the more capable Cassandra became the further the other two regressed into their childhood. She was beginning to feel like a mother with two very troubled children on her hands. Still she waited, letting the two fully grown men make snappy comments at each other until Sirius had actually resorted to pinching Snape when he wasn't looking.  
  
"Stop it," she hissed, turning on them. "People are starting to stare at us and-" she fell silent, reaching out and grabbing Sirius' arm tightly in her hand.  
  
"Cass?" he asked, grabbing her arms and shaking her. "Cassandra?"  
  
Her breath hitched and her mouth opened and closed as if she were trying to say something. Her eyes were glazed over, staring past Sirius at something that only she could see. Her hand tightened on his arm, squeezing it painfully until he winced and tried to move away. She held him tighter, pulling him close and leaning against him until all her weight was on him. Her arms were around his neck, hugging him tightly and she was suddenly crying, sobbing into his shoulder.  
  
"Oh, Remus," she murmured.  
  
"Cass, what is it?" Sirius asked, pulling away from her and staring into her face. "What'd you see?"  
  
"He doesn't know what to do," she moaned, covering her face with her hands. "He's so lost and he saw James." Her grey eyes widened. "He's going to see James for the first time and he's going to be so confused."  
  
"When?" Sirius asked.  
  
Cassandra shook her head. "I don't know. It might have happened already, but I don't think so. It might happen later today, or tomorrow, or three weeks from now, I don't know! All I know is that I felt his confusion. He thinks we're giving up on him Sirius. Whenever this came from, he's in despair, he thinks he's alone."  
  
"Well, we just won't let him get that far, will we?" Sirius asked, trying to sound sure of himself. "We'll find him before he gets to that point, Cass. I promise."  
  
She glanced at Snape. "Promise me."  
  
He looked utterly lost, but he nodded. "I promise."  
  
"Both of you promise that you won't give up," she said, grabbing for Snape's arm as well. "I need to hear that you won't leave me alone to do this."  
  
Sirius looked shocked. "We would never-"  
  
"I promise," Snape said quietly, understanding now why she was making them promise.  
  
Cassandra met his eyes. "You promise?"  
  
"I swear it," he said softly. "I won't abandon this."  
  
"Cass," Sirius said, still staring at her. "What's going on? Why would you think that we'd give up?"  
  
"She saw something," Snape hissed. "Don't you get it? On the train when she acted like she hadn't seen anything . . . that was what she saw."  
  
Sirius turned to look at her and she nodded slowly.  
  
"I saw myself . . . but I was alone. I was travelling across sand, a desert maybe, all alone and I was crying. I had lost both of you somewhere." She stared very seriously at Snape and then at Sirius. "I can't lose you or we won't find him. I won't be able to do it on my own."  
  
Sirius tried to smile. "I won't let you do it on your own. I'm not going to leave and you won't lose us."  
  
She nodded, trying to look steady. "Okay, that's all I can expect you both to say. Let's go find something to eat." Without another word she turned and walked away, searching for a restaurant in the midst of the gift shops.  
  
Sirius and Snape followed her with their gaze, each taking a moment to adjust to what she had said, then finally looking back at each other. They stood in the middle of the airport and studied each other, neither of them completely sure of what to say at that point. Sirius looked more worried than he had since first seeing Cassandra and Snape was left wondering what could happen to them that would leave Cassandra alone.  
  
"We really can't let it happen," Sirius said softly. "You know that, right?"  
  
Snape nodded. "We promised."  
  
"So we agree?" Sirius asked.  
  
A smile twitched at the corners of Snape's mouth, but it was gone before he gave it time to develop. "On at least one thing," he replied, then followed Cassandra.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Remus cracked his eyelids open to stare up into the fading sunlight. Red streaks chased long shadows down the deep walls of his dungeon. It was getting near the full moon, he could already feel the wolf inside of him, dying to get out and be free . . . or as free as he could be locked in a cage. His muscles twitched, waiting to be released, he hated the days leading up to the change. He was always so restless in the days before, his body ached, needing some kind of release.   
  
With a deep sigh, Remus stood and paced the length of the room, pausing to stretch his arms above his head. The muscles in his body groaned in protest and he grew light headed by the sudden movement. It was too much too soon, he hadn't had any real exercise in months, nothing more than pacing his cell a few times every so often and now here he was, trying to stretch under used muscles. He paused, his arms still behind his head, and glanced upward to the sky. If they were really coming for him maybe he should do something about the state he was in, maybe he should be able to contribute something when it came down to a fight over him.  
  
He was so deep in thought about the coming months, Remus didn't hear the door open behind him, then shut again with a soft clang. He didn't turn toward the man standing behind him until he heard the soft breathing. Werewolf indeed, Remus though angrily. He didn't even hear an intruder immediately.  
  
The man was hidden in shadows, but Remus could see the setting sun glinting off a pair of glasses. It took him a moment longer to realize that the man wasn't alone. Beside him a chubby man was cowering near the ground, shaking and perspiring in the warm evening.  
  
"Peter," Remus hissed in a low voice and lunged. The man on the ground let out a squeak and threw himself behind the other man, clinging to his legs. One of his hands shimmered brightly in the red shadows that were creeping across the room. The fake hand; the hand Voldemort had given him.  
  
"I knew it," he growled, reaching around the other man to grab Peter by the collar of his robes. Remus wasn't strong, but Peter didn't resist, he just slid lifelessly across the floor.   
  
"Coward," Remus spat in Peter's face. "I knew Voldemort was keeping me here. Why?"  
  
"Now, now, Moony," the other man said and Remus dropped Peter in the stunned silence that followed the voice.  
  
"No," he whispered, backing away. "No. This isn't happening."  
  
James Potter stepped into the fading light and he smiled. "Oh, Moony, you were never the believer of the group, were you?"  
  
Remus closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're dead, Prongs. You died more than fifteen years ago. He killed you," he said, raising a shaking hand and pointing it at Peter.  
  
"Well, you can't always believe what you read in the papers," James said, still smiling. "You should know that by now, Moony."  
  
Remus opened his eyes. "What does that mean?"  
  
James' smile grew. "What do you think it means?"  
  
Remus thought back to the only newspaper he'd read in the time he'd been trapped. "Cassandra?" he whispered.  
  
James nodded. "Of course."  
  
"She didn't escape?"  
  
"No, Moony. She's dead."  
  
Remus' hands went to his face. "No."  
  
"Yes," James said. "It's all true. Cass died months ago."  
  
Remus swallowed hard, then backed up against the wall and sunk to the floor. A low moan built up in his throat until it spilled over his lips, sounding eerily like the werewolf he would soon become. His shoulders shuddered as he stuffed his fists into his eyes, willing the tears not to come. It was a lie, he wouldn't believe it, not coming from a friend he had thought was dead for sixteen years.   
  
"I have proof," James said softly, as if reading Remus' mind.  
  
"You're lying," Remus whispered, still huddled against the wall.  
  
"Look," James said, holding out a glossy photo.  
  
Remus didn't want to take it, he didn't want to see what the picture was of. He knew, deep down, exactly what he was about to see but it didn't make it any easier. His hand trembled as he reached for the picture and he stared at it with unwavering horror, unable to take his eyes away.  
  
Lucius Malfoy leaned over the terrified form Cassandra Harvey, a malicious grin on his lips. One of his hands was entwined in her long hair, forcing her body to press against his and his grin grew wider. If the picture had sound Cassandra would have been whimpering in her throat and Remus was sure Lucius would have been laughing. Lucius leaned over further, his wand pressing into Cassandra's stomach hard enough to pierce the skin. She cringed and fought, but nothing she did helped her. Lucius suddenly shoved her back against the wall and her head slammed against the stone. She dropped to her knees, dazed and still Lucius just watched.   
  
It was until Cassandra finally looked up and met his eyes did his mouth open in an unheard curse. Green light filled the picture to the brim and Remus dropped it, shivering.  
  
"I'll kill him," he muttered, then shoved the picture away.  
  
James picked it up and smiled. "I'm sure he'd be interested to hear that." With a swish of robes, James turned and motioned for Peter to follow him. "She's not coming for you, Moony. Give it up."  
  
Remus slumped against the wall and closed his eyes again, finally submitting himself to his tears.  
  
James shoved Peter into the hallway, then closed and locked Remus' door behind him. He dropped the picture, letting it flutter to the ground and swallowed hard. With a quick glance at Peter, they both walked down the hall to a large stone room nearby. James sunk into the first chair he came to and slowly let out a deep breath, leaning against the cool leather.  
  
"Get me more," he muttered.  
  
Peter frowned. "More?"  
  
"The polyjuice potion," James snapped, running a hand disdainfully through his hair. "What I wouldn't give to not have to live in this body . . ." he muttered.  
  
"I don't want to touch him," Peter began softly.  
  
"Just get me the potion," he snapped, still leaning into the chair. "On second thought," he murmured just as Peter had begun to leave the room. "Remus Lupin is so far away, it couldn't hurt to let myself . . . be myself for a few hours."  
  
Peter nodded gratefully. "Very good idea."  
  
James closed his eyes and relaxed into the chair, feeling his hair grow past his shoulders, his face become leaner and his features more refined. Peter watched until, only moments later, James Potter had become Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Lucius' eyes snapped open and he sat upright in the chair. "Why are you staring at me? Get the potion."  
  
"But I thought-"  
  
"Don't think. I'll need to become James again soon enough, it had better be ready."  
  
Peter nodded slowly. "I just hate touching him."  
  
A cold smile crossed Lucius' lips. "James Potter? I thought you'd like seeing his rotting body every day . . . after all, Wormtail, you're the one who killed him."  
  
Peter flinched and Lucius smiled again.  
  
"The Dark Lord knows what he'd doing. This is perfect. Lupin will be too insane to help when the battle begins and his saviours," he growled, the word dripping with disdain, "will be too confused to do anything right."  
  
Peter stared thoughtfully at Lucius, then said, "Who was the girl in the picture?"  
  
Lucius shrugged. "Some useless mudblood. The Dementors were more than willing to get me a hair from Cassandra's head while she was in Azkaban but there weren't exactly any willing volunteers to stand in for her big death scene." He sighed deeply, then glanced sharply at Peter. "Why are you still here? Get me the polyjuice potion."  
  
  
Peter nodded and fled the room, leaving Lucius sitting alone with a dangerous smile on his face. Before this was done, he would destroy the name Potter.  
  
  
  
* * * * 


	10. Chapter Nine

Notes: This chapter is dedicated to my muse, Robert because he came home! Robert would also like to take this opportunity to point out that dedications cannot be demanded or taken by force. They are given because the author wants to. End of story.  
  
:D Enjoy!  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Snape shut his eyes and sighed inwardly, resisting the amazingly strong urge to reach over the arm rest between them and use every curse he knew on Sirius Black. Flying wasn't an especially nice experience and it was only made worse by Sirius' constant annoying comments that planes crash on a regular basis. The last thing Snape needed on his mind at that moment was an image of a burning wreck in the middle of the ocean. Wizard or not, he wouldn't be able to get out of that one.  
  
"Hmm," Sirius murmured thoughtfully.  
  
"What?" Snape asked, trying to keep the fear from his voice.  
  
"I wonder what it means with the oxygen masks come down and that light with the outline of a burning plane lights up," Sirius answered, his voice still low and thoughtful.  
  
"Sirius!" Cassandra said sharply just as Snape's eyes snapped open.  
  
"What?" he asked, searching blindly for the light Sirius was talking about. "Already? We're going to die already?"  
  
"We're not dying," Cassandra said from Sirius' other side.   
  
Snape straightened himself in the chair and set his mouth in a thin, straight line. "Of course we're not. Don't be ridiculous."  
  
Sirius snicked, but was silenced quickly by Cassandra's glare. She kicked him sharply, then leaned back in her chair.  
  
"The last thing we need is for you to annoy us both all the way to Naples," she said.  
  
"Fine," Sirius mumbled, then sunk into his chair and pouted.  
  
"And don't pout," Cassandra added, before turning away from him.  
  
Sirius growled deep in his throat. "Fine," he said, then glanced over at Snape and grinned.  
  
"And, for the love of Merlin, don't annoy Severus," she said.  
  
Sirius fell away from the other man, grumbling under his breath about not being allowed to have any fun on the trip.  
  
Snape had to turn toward the window the hide the smile on his face. Cassandra certainly knew how to handle Sirius and that was definitely something that would come in handy on the trip. Besides, he relented, she wasn't half as bad as the rest of their wretched group had been and that was something he counted as a blessing. Two months alone with Sirius would have been unbearable and Snape was lucky he had someone else with them.  
  
Even though he was finding their mission to be reckless and rather unorganized, he hoped that with Cassandra's help they would be able to find Lupin in time. It wasn't that he was fond of him, or fond of any of them really, but Snape didn't fancy seeing the world turn into a giant slave pool for Voldemort because Remus Lupin couldn't be found. He didn't know why Lupin was important, just that he was, and if he was important that meant they would have to save him before Voldemort tried to launch another war. Their time seemed to be short and Snape hoped that Cassandra knew what she was doing.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Cassandra sighed as she entered the motel room they had rented and swung her bag onto the bed. Naples offered a wide range of expensive and gorgeous hotels for them to stay in, but they had once again chosen the cheapest place they could find. It wasn't that she minded staying in the motel, but she hated that this time they were all crammed into the same room. Management had been less than understanding about Sirius' mistake when he accidentally pulled out his wand with his money and they had nearly refused them a room. It had taken Cassandra nearly twenty minutes to convince them to let her have just one room in her broken Italian, flipping through a translation book Sirius had bought at the airport upon their arrival.   
  
"One room," Sirius grumbled, tossing his bag beside hers. "One room, two beds." He turned toward Snape, then grinned wickedly. "I get to share a bed with Snapey!"  
  
"If you call me that again I will blast a hole in your head so large that whatever small amount of brains you do have will leak out onto the floor," Snape growled.  
  
"Boys," Cassandra said warningly. "No fighting."  
  
"He started it," Sirius said, pointing at Snape.  
  
"Here's the plan," she said, smiling sweetly at him. It was a smile Sirius knew was covering up her sudden and overwhelming desire to yell at him. "Sirius will share a bed with me, I think that will make everyone the most comfortable. If either of you pulls out your wand to use on the other I will steal it and put you in a full body bind for the rest of the night. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Both men nodded and slunk to their own sides of the room, Snape glaring daggers at them both the entire way.  
  
"I should have been a teacher," Cassandra mumbled, sinking onto the bed and laying on her back.   
  
"So . . . what are we doing tomorrow?" Sirius asked.  
  
Cassandra shrugged miserably. "I don't know yet," she murmured, staring at the ceiling. "It's late though, maybe we should all just get to sleep."  
  
Sirius nodded slowly. "Sure, Cass."  
  
They prepared for bed silently, taking turns using the tiny bathroom and sliding under the covers with their own thoughts. Cassandra lay in the dark and stared at Sirius' profile as he drifted off to sleep. She couldn't even use her abilities to help Remus and her best friend. If she didn't know where to go next they would be completely lost and that thought chilled her blood. She couldn't fail them, she wasn't allowed to fail them. If she lost the battle to find Remus, the entire world would suffer and it would be all her fault.  
  
She would lead them to the ends of the earth and back again, if that was what it took to find out where Remus was being kept. Cassandra wasn't about to let Voldemort win the battle; not after everything he'd already done to her friends. She drifted into a restless sleep with that thought on her mind; the entire world rested on her shoulders.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Cassandra woke up suddenly in the dark, her eyes searching for whatever it was that could have woken her. Sirius mumbled something in his sleep from beside her and she relaxed slightly, then strained to hear Snape's even breathing as he slept. She sighed, then closed her eyes, remembering bits and pieces of a dream she'd been having.  
  
It had been her sixth year at Hogwarts, just before everything had fallen apart. Remus and Sirius were staying in Hogwarts, wondering if she had completed what she'd been working on since they had graduated . . .  
  
  
  
  
. . . Cassandra stared down the dark lane that lead to the back of the Shrieking Shack, then shook her head vehemently.  
  
"You're not getting me to try it right out in the open here," she said.  
  
Sirius sighed impatiently. "What're you going to go? Go back to Hogwarts and sneak into the Shack using the Whomping Willow? Dumbledore will catch you for sure, or worse, that coward Snape will be skulking around and he'll see you."  
  
"I can't just do it here where everyone could see," she replied.  
  
Remus touched her shoulder and Cassandra turned to him. His eyes calmed her, they always had, and soon she was feeling as if there was nothing she couldn't do while standing right there.  
  
"You've worked hard, Cass," Remus said softly. "But we'll understand if you don't want to try today. Sirius and I can come back another time before graduation, or you can even wait until after you've left Hogwarts to show us."  
  
Her hand found his, their fingers entwining. "I'm just worried about being caught. This is illegal, you know."  
  
Sirius chuckled. "You're friends with us, Cass, since when has that stopped you?"  
  
She dropped Remus' hand and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at his friend. "You're the one always getting us in trouble, Sirius Black, not me!"  
  
He grinned. "But isn't it fun?"  
  
"Sirius," Remus said sharply. "You're not helping her nerves."  
  
She smiled thankfully at Remus and Sirius giggled shrilly.  
  
"Oh, you two are just the cutest things, EVER!" he exclaimed, batting his eyes. "Why, I could just eat you both right up! Aren't they darling?" he shouted to the passing students. Lucius Malfoy passed by, staring at all three disdainfully and Sirius made a rude gesture before grinning like an angel.  
  
"Just wait, Black," Lucius said softly, but even from a distance they could hear the venom in his voice. "You too, Lupin and you . . . Cassandra Harvey . . ." he trailed off, grinning maliciously. "When I have Black and Lupin held so tightly in my grasp that they can't escape, I'll do things to you that you've never even imagined."  
  
Cassandra stepped backward, alarmed at the hatred in his words. After their attempt at a date, he had ignored her, telling his friends that he had used the girl and tossed her aside after he was done, but he had never spoken directly to her.  
  
"Now you're a man?" she asked suddenly. "Now you've graduated and you can finally say to me what you couldn't during school?"   
  
Lucius fixed her with a steely glare. "Just wait," he murmured. "Soon I'll own you, Harvey." Then he turned and was gone, his robes swishing behind him as he walked.  
  
"I hate him," she growled.  
  
"Didn't stop you from going on a date with him," Sirius said, only half teasing.  
  
Cassandra glared at him. "Don't bring that up, okay?"  
  
Sirius held up both his hands defensively, but said nothing more.  
  
"Come on, Cassandra," Remus said softly. "You're too angry, you can't do it now."  
  
"I can and I will," she said, then turned and strode down the lane toward the back of the Shrieking Shack. Remus and Sirius exchanged a worried glance before hurrying after her.  
  
Cassandra was pressed up against the back fence, her eyes shut tightly and her fists clenched on ether side.  
  
"Cass, calm down," Sirius said. "Watch me first."  
  
She opened her eyes slowly, then studied Sirius as he slipped into his dog form. It took him surprisingly little effort for a person who'd been changing for little more than a year, but Cassandra knew it would be far more trying for her. She had never turned before in her life, but she'd been studying how to for close to a year.  
  
"Are you sure you're ready?" Remus asked.  
  
Cassandra turned toward him and pressed a quick kiss against his lips. The dog pacing behind them made a gagging noise and she turned to shoot a quick glare in his direction.  
  
"I'm ready," she said, then stepped away from him and closed her eyes.   
  
Remus watched as her eyelids fluttered and her fists clenched again. A pained moan escaped her lips and he reached for her, but the dog stepped between them, blocking his way. A moment later her body went limp and she collapsed, her forehead pressed against the dusty ground behind the Shrieking Shack. She groaned again, then rolled onto her side and fought the tears that had begun to pour down her cheeks. Remus could only imagine how painful it would be for her the first time, her bones and muscles shifting and changing.  
  
As painful as it must have been it only took her a few short moments to change. A minute later Remus was staring down as a speckled grey mare struggled to her feet. She swayed unsteadily for a moment, then took a step toward them testing her new hooves.   
  
Sirius changed back into himself and glanced at Remus.  
  
"She's gorgeous," he whispered and Remus nodded slowly. "I'm impressed," Sirius continued. "Not even James looks that good."  
  
Remus grinned and nudged his friend. "Stop talking like that about my girlfriend."  
  
The mare trotted toward them, and nudged Sirius out of the way before nuzzling Remus' arm. Sirius just shook his head and rolled his eyes.   
  
"You shouldn't stay like that long," Remus said, staring at the mare's huge, grey eyes. "You'll be exhausted."  
  
She ducked her head slightly, then moved away and slowly melted back into the girl she had been only moments before.  
  
"That was amazing," Remus said.  
  
Cassandra smiled. "Thanks." She turned to Sirius. "So . . . gorgeous, huh?"  
  
"Shuddup," Sirius growled, but he was smiling . . .   
  
  
  
. . . It was a good memory, a reassuring omen in a time when she felt less certain about everything with each passing day. Still smiling slightly, Cassandra moved to get out of bed, but was struck by a sudden vision. She stumbled and fell, grabbing for the bed sheets as she tumbled to the floor.  
  
It was a mare.  
  
Running.  
  
Helpless, frightened, a grey mare running wildly across the desert.  
  
"No," she murmured.  
  
The mare tossed her head and ran faster, pushing herself to the limit. She wasn't being chased, but she ran on, her hooves beating down on the sandy terrain. Something told the mare to keep running, that if she stopped she would die.  
  
"Stop," Cassandra moaned, her eyes wide, watching as the creature ran on.  
  
The mare's hide was spotted with darker grey specks, her long, dark mane threaded with grey hairs. She ran blindingly fast and Cassandra could see the blood on her hooves with each step she took.   
  
"You're going to kill yourself!" she screamed at the mare, but there was no stopping the animal.  
  
Cassandra watched as the horse ran, pounding over sandy hills and crushing the tiny plants that grew there. And suddenly it was over. The mare went down on her side, sliding over the sand and coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of the desert. Her hooves bled freely, blood staining the sand and her grey legs red. Her eyelids fluttered twice and four laboured breaths were drawn into her body before the mare moved no more. She had run herself to her death, but what she had been fleeing, Cassandra couldn't see.  
  
A moment later she became aware of Sirius shaking her shoulder and she glanced up to see him kneeling above her.  
  
"Cass, what happened?" he asked.  
  
She stared at him for a long moment, then glanced over to where Snape was looking at her curiously.  
  
"You can't leave me," she told them.  
  
"We already promised we wouldn't," Sirius said.  
  
"You can't leave me, or I will die."  
  
"Die?" Snape asked.  
  
Cassandra nodded. "If I'm left alone to find him, I will run myself to my death. I don't know what I'm running from and I don't know why . . . but I do know where."  
  
"You do?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Takoradi, Ghana . . . it's in Africa," she said.  
  
Snape grabbed a piece of paper from the night table and wrote down the location.  
  
"I believe we'll find Remus at a place called Cape Three Points . . . but it's not going to be easy to get him out," she said, then stood on shaking legs and went back to the bed.  
  
"Get some sleep, we leave in two days," she said, then closed her eyes and tried to drift back to sleep.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
More Notes: I have no idea how or what it takes to turn into one's Animagus form, so I made it up. Unless I missed something, it's never really explain, so I hope mine was okay. 


	11. Chapter Ten

* * * *   
  
  
Lucius stared at himself in the mirror that was hung over his bureau, then reached for the black ribbon crumpled beside his hand. It was such an inconvenience to have to deal with Remus Lupin in the form of James Potter, but Voldemort had insisted. The further the wolf was worn down the easier it would be to crush him when the time finally came. He tied his hair at the nape of his neck as he walked toward the door of his room. He hated living beneath the earth, but Voldemort had explained that he needed to be by Lupin at all times. Lucius couldn't see why he couldn't stay in a hotel above ground but he wasn't going to argue with the Dark Lord, especially when dealing with a task as important as the one at hand.   
  
He stepped out into the long hall and walked the short distance to the common room Voldemort had created for him and Peter. The other Death Eater was already there, sitting nervously on the edge of his seat, his eyes darting as if he were looking for someone.  
  
"Impatient, Wormtail?" Lucius drawled, entering the room and walking past Peter.  
  
"What?" Peter asked, flinching at the sound of Lucius' voice. "Impatient? No, not at all. Impatient for what?"  
  
Lucius sighed deeply, then opened the cupboard positioned against the wall. Inside were bottles of alcohol and a few large snifters. He supposed it was never too early for a drink when you were stuck underground with Peter Pettigrew as your only companion.  
  
"You tell me, Wormtail," Lucius muttered as he poured himself a shot of brandy. "I can't have you acting like this . . . you make us look like fools for trusting you."  
  
Peter's eyes widened. "No, oh no. You're not fools for trusting me."  
  
Lucius turned to look at him. "Prove it."  
  
Peter stared at Lucius uncertainly for a long moment, then stood from his chair and began to back away slowly. "No," he murmured, shaking his head. "No, not again."  
  
"Make the potion, Wormtail."  
  
"I hate seeing him, looking at him . . . it makes me sick."  
  
Lucius waved his hand dismissively. "Well, I suppose that it your problem isn't it? Make me the potion and be quick about it. I haven't all day to wait around for you. Our Lord should be arriving anytime."  
  
"Lord Voldemort is coming today?" Peter asked.  
  
Lucius raised one of his eyebrows then nodded. "Yes. Time is running out, Wormtail. When Black and the others arrive we'll have to act quickly."  
  
"I-I don't know what's going to happen when they get here," Peter said.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Lucius said. "They need to be here before the next full moon and that is the only thing we worry about at the moment. Now . . . go make the potion."  
  
Peter's eyes dropped to the floor, but he nodded and left the room quickly.   
  
Lucius sighed gratefully and sunk into a nearby chair. There was only so much annoying blubbering from that man he could stand in one day and it only got worse whenever he asked him to make the polyjuice potion. With a drink in hand, relaxing in the large armchair Lucius almost felt like he was home. He just wanted their bloody ritual to be over with, to be back at home leading the normal life he had led for the past fifteen years.   
  
He was so immersed in his desire to leave that he didn't hear the soft rustle of robes as Voldemort stepped into the room.  
  
"Lucius," the hissing voice filled his head and Lucius' eyes snapped open.  
  
"My Lord," he murmured, dropping to his knees. "I had no idea you would arrive so soon." He placed his drink on a nearby table, then bowed his head and waited for some kind of order from Voldemort.  
  
"Get up, Lucius," Voldemort murmured, his red eyes taking in the room. "I can't stand to see you grovelling."  
  
"Of course, my Lord," Lucius said, standing quickly. "Wormtail is off fixing the polyjuice potion. It should be done at any time."  
  
"That doesn't concern me at the moment," Voldemort said, waving his hand. "What concerns me is how far the others have come in this period of time. They should be here."  
  
Lucius frowned. "They will be here very soon, my Lord. They have to cross the desert and will be here before the full moon."  
  
"They are not as close as we anticipated. That imbecile Severus Snape prevents them from moving as fast as they should be." Voldemort turned to Lucius. "He was not supposed to go with them. He was supposed to remain at Hogwarts while Cassandra Harvey delivered Black right into our hands."  
  
"But, my Lord," Lucius began, "this gives you the perfect opportunity to take care of the traitor at the same time."  
  
"I do not need you to tell me how to run my affairs, Lucius," Voldemort growled.  
  
"Of course not, my Lord."  
  
"I've brought others," Voldemort said suddenly.  
  
Another frown crossed Lucius' face. "Others?"  
  
Voldemort smiled dangerously. "Followers, Lucius. I've found others who will join us in our fight."  
  
"Where did you find them?" Lucius asked.  
  
"That doesn't matter!" Voldemort snapped. "All that matters is that they're here and they are ready to be introduced into our circle."  
  
"The Dark Mark?" Lucius asked, his brow creasing. "I thought you stopped branding them to keep their identities more private."  
  
Another smile touch Voldemort's colourless lips. "Watch, Lucius and you'll see exactly what you've been missing for the past few months."  
  
Lucius stared in confusion at his Dark Lord, but let the man sweep past him and move toward the door. He motioned to the people that were obviously standing in the corridor and moments later a group of three men and two women entered the room. The two women and two of the men looked calm and collected, but the other was staring nervously at Voldemort before he let his eyes dart over to Lucius. That apparent nervousness was the reason Voldemort's eyes fell upon him and he singled him out immediately.  
  
"Alastair," Voldemort said coldly, snapping his fingers.   
  
The nervous young man blinked before stepping forward.  
  
"Y-yes, V-er, He-Who . . . my Lord?"  
  
"Come here," Voldemort said.  
  
Alastair looked at Lucius again before walking over to Voldemort and staring at the ground. He was sweating, tiny beads starting at his hairline and running slowly down his forehead to the end of his nose.   
  
"Kneel," Voldemort said softly, drawing his wand from the folds of his cloak.  
  
Alastair's entire body trembled with that word and he remained on his feet, staring into the crimson eyes of the Dark Lord.   
  
"Kneel, Alastair!" one of the women hissed and he seemed to lose what little composure he had at the sound of her voice.  
  
He crumpled to the ground, his knees barely holding him up but Voldemort didn't seem to care. Lucius watched with a frown as Voldemort's wand traced a line up Alastair's spine and the material of his cloak fell away to reveal his back.  
  
"He won't be loyal," Lucius hissed and both Alastair and Voldemort turned to look at him.  
  
"He will be!" insisted the woman who had spoke earlier. "I will make sure of it."  
  
Voldemort ignored them both and pushed Alastair's head back down toward the floor, his wand hovering over his back. Slowly it began to glow, the tip turning bright orange before it melted into a ferocious red blaze. Voldemort waited until it was a brilliant red before he lowered it until the tip touched Alastair's back just before the nape of his neck.  
  
"Morsmordre," Voldemort hissed and a moment later bright light filled the room. A frightened and pained scream pierced the silence of the room, ragged breath being drawn into his lungs before another scream formed in his throat. Lucius closed his eyes, wishing he could shut out the sound but there was nothing he could do but listen to the screams.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
On an air plane flying over Africa, Cassandra's eyes snapped open and she stared into the darkness of the cabin. On either side of her Snape and Sirius were asleep, neither of them plagued by the things she saw. Playing out before her eyes as if she was watching it happen was something she had never wanted to see in her entire life. Voldemort's thin form was bent over a man huddled on the ground, whimpering like a child.   
  
A moment later a blinding light filled her field of view and Cassandra was thrown back against her seat. A scream shot through her head and she winced, then stared forward, waiting to see what would happen.  
  
As the light faded she was left staring at the quivering young man, his bare back to her. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light but when they did she could see the twisted shape of a snake branded onto the man's back. On his flaming red skin was a black skull, it's tongue a thin snake; it was the Dark Mark.  
  
"The snakes on their backs!" she cried suddenly, turning to her side and shaking Snape awake. "Severus! Do you remember what I said to you that first night?"  
  
He blinked a few times and sat up in the chair, staring blearily at her in the dark. On Cassandra's other side Sirius was stretching and sitting up as well.  
  
"What did you tell me?" he asked, yawning.  
  
"I said something about the men with snakes on their backs," she said fiercely.  
  
Snape's eyes widened and he nodded. "Yes, yes I remember that."  
  
Sirius glanced between them. "I don't follow. Snakes on . . . who?"  
  
"The Death Eaters," Cassandra said. "They're not being branded on their arms anymore, that's why the Ministry can't find any of the new ones and that's why people don't see the marks until it's too late. They're being branded on their backs now."  
  
"Why?" Sirius murmured.  
  
"Discretion," Snape said. "He'd want to be more careful after the trials the last time."  
  
"What would it matter?" Sirius asked.  
  
Cassandra shook her head. "Other than hiding from the Ministry it's nothing . . . unless he wanted to make sure his prisoners didn't know who they were being held by either."  
  
"That would mean that . . ." Sirius trailed off and shook his head.  
  
"Six months," Cassandra murmured. "Six months in a hole not knowing why you're there or who's keeping you."  
  
"It must be hell," Snape said.  
  
They all fell silent, each locked in their own thought about the thing Remus Lupin would have gone through over the past six months.   
  
"We have to get him out," Cassandra said finally. "We have no choice, he has to know why this happened to him."  
  
Sirius nodded. "We will, Cass. I promise that we will."  
  
* * * *  
  
If I promise the next chapter will be very long will it make up for how short this one is? :) 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Notes: I lied. It's not much longer. :P I'm having mental blocks.  
  
* * * *  
  
Sirius stared over the vast desert they were about to cross and he felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. Moony, he thought, this was all for Moony. Dust blew across the sand dunes and he shielded his eyes from the blowing grit. They certainly weren't prepared for a two day trek across a desert, but he didn't see how they could turn back to the nearest village and attempt to prepare now. They were standing on the brink and there was nowhere for them to go but forward.   
  
He shifted his pack slightly and turned back to where Snape was glaring angrily at Cassandra who was staring back with equal anger simmering in her eyes. Siruis let his eyes roam over her and for the first time he realized how weak and tired she really looked. Her hair was tied back in a tight pony tail, only accentuating all the bones and shadows in her face. It amazed him that she had been able to come as far as they had without a total collapse. With a smile, he supposed she was doing it for the same reason he was. Remus was really all that mattered to her.  
  
"You're going," Snape said loudly, finally catching Sirius' attention. "That is the end of this argument."  
  
Cassandra raised her eyebrows. "You're the only one arguing here. I'm not going anywhere because if I go out I risk all our lives."  
  
Sirius frowned and stepped over to them. "Cass, if you don't go Remus could die."  
  
She turned her eyes on him pleadingly. "Not if I tell you where to go."  
  
"Cass, we can't go without you."  
  
She sighed deeply. "But it's stronger here."  
  
Sirius looked out at the desert. "Those visions?"  
  
She nodded. "If I go in there none of us will make it out alive."  
  
"It's just sand," Snape said sharply.  
  
"Watch it," Sirius growled at him.  
  
"This is ridiculous," Snape continued. "She takes us this far and then expects to abandon us on the edge of an endless desert? No. She's going in if I have to tie her to my waist and drag her."  
  
Cassandra stared at him for a moment, her eyes wide, then she smiled slightly. "If he wants me to go that badly I guess I have no choice."  
  
Snape held her gaze for a long time, inwardly debating how sarcastic she was being when she made the statement. Eventually his black eyes slid off her face and he stared at the ground.  
  
"Ready?" Sirius asked, breaking the tension.  
  
Cassandra gazed out at the sand and shrugged deeply. "Why not?" she murmured, then shouldered her pack and began to walk away. The others followed her slowly, Sirius watching her carefully as she faltered, then stumbled slightly.  
  
"Cass?" he called cautiously, walking over to her quickly. "What is it?"  
  
Her breath caught in her throat and Sirius watched her face as her eyelids fluttered. She seemed to be having trouble breathing as she reached toward something that wasn't there. Her mouth worked as if she was trying to say something and Sirius reached for her just as she blinked and stared at him.  
  
"Remus," she whispered.  
  
"What about him?" Sirius asked.  
  
"He's going to kill someone," she murmured. "As the wolf."  
  
"Who?" Snape asked sharply.  
  
Cassandra shook her head. "I don't know . . . I couldn't see." She regarded the other two carefully. "If anything happens and he gets loose, we have to restrain him somehow. I don't want either of you ending up dead and we can't let him go through that."  
  
Sirius nodded. "We'll do that, don't worry."  
  
Cassandra nodded and straightened, shifting her pack carefully. "Let's keep going," she said, then continued their long walk into the desert.  
  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
Lucius watched Peter fidget with cold eyes before turning his gaze over the enormous land mass which they were staying under. Cape Three Point, a known area of Takoradi used in ritual of witchcraft and other religious ceremonies. Lucius didn't believe in anything as ridiculous as witchcraft, but only because he knew better. Witches didn't light candles and chant, they pulled out their wands and did the damage themselves. Yet, Voldemort had insisted they stay under Cape Three Point, he promised that the area would be useful to them in the long run when they were to finish Remus Lupin off for good.  
  
"I don't like this place," Peter murmured.  
  
Lucius arched an eyebrow. "Oh no?"  
  
Peter shook his head and stared out over the points. Not a single point was very large, but each hung precariously over a churning ocean and Lucius wondered how much weight they could really hold before the earth crumbled and it dropped into the sea. At the apex of the three points was a huge stone with a faded Latin inscription that Lucius couldn't interpret. The words were far too worn for anyone to be able to see what was once set in stone.  
  
"Why don't you like it, Wormtail?" Voldemort spoke from behind them, stepping out into the fading sun.  
  
Peter glanced at the Dark Lord nervously. "There's an energy," he said slowly. "It's heavy and . . . something's not right about it."  
  
Lucius caught Voldemort's eye and he smiled very softly. There was a look in the man's red eyes that told Lucius everything he needed to know. It was time to explain to Peter exactly what was going to happen.  
  
"Wormtail," Lucius began, his fingers sliding to the inner pocket of his robe and touching his wand. "There is a lot that you don't know yet, much of it having to do with that . . . energy, is that what you called it?"  
  
Peter nodded, staring at Lucius.  
  
"Well, that energy you sense is an ancient entity, a being created for one reason only."  
  
Peter swallowed hard. "What is that?"  
  
"This being has the ability to transfer personality traits from one body to another," Lucius continued. "But it can also transfer things such as . . . power, or intellect."  
  
"What does that have to do with Remus?" Peter asked.  
  
Another smile crossed Lucius' face. "Not just Remus, but you and Sirius Black as well."  
  
Peter frowned. "Me?" he practically squeaked.  
  
Lucius nodded. "Yes, Wormtail . . . you."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"You are an animagus, correct?" Lucius asked.  
  
Peter nodded. "Yes, you know that." He glanced at Voldemort. "What's going on?"  
  
Voldemort just kept his eyes on Lucius, waiting for Peter to look back over and listen to the rest of the story. Peter stared at Voldemort for a moment longer, looking as if he were debating asking another question or running as fast as he could into the desert, but eventually he sighed and turned his eyes back to Lucius.  
  
"Sirius Black is also an animagus," Lucius said. "Remus Lupin is a werewolf."  
  
Peter nodded again. "I know all this, why are you telling me?"  
  
Lucius ignored his question, but tightened his grip on his wand. "In order for this being to transfer powers of animagi, one must be an animagi himself."  
  
Peter brightened visibly at this. "You're going to let me take in the powers from Sirius and Remus."  
  
Lucius finally turned on him, his wand extending. "Imperio," he growled, then waited for the spell to take hold. When Peter was unable to move, Lucius smiled again. "No, you silly man. Don't you understand yet? That's why I've been turning in Potter, to use his powers. When the full moon comes and Lupin turns into the werewolf, we'll have you and Black at our disposal and James Potter will take in everything. Every little bit of humanity left inside you will belong to me."  
  
Lucius stepped closer to Peter and ran his wand along the side of his face. "You'll have nothing left inside of you . . . you'll be mad." He smiled, revelling in the fear that radiated off Peter. "Completely mad, as will the men you once betrayed and I will possess every little bit of power they own."  
  
He turned away and waved his hand. "Not to mention the fact that having Lupin out of the picture will be a great blessing indeed. He's worth more as a wolf than he ever would have imagined."  
  
Voldemort stared at Peter for a long moment before glancing over at Lucius. "Take some Death Eaters and go find Severus and the others. Bring Sirius Black back to me."  
  
Lucius nodded. "What do you want us to do with Cassandra Harvey and Severus?"  
  
Voldemort shrugged. "Kill them."  
  
Another smile crossed Lucius' face. "I'll see to it personally that it's done correctly. Come, Wormtail. We have a cozy cell waiting just for you."  
  
He began to walk away and Peter followed obediently as Voldemort watched.   
  
"Betrayal has a way of coming full circle, doesn't it, Wormtail?" he called after them, then watched as the sun turned blood red and the sun slipped over the water.  
  
  
* * * * 


	13. Chapter Twelve

* * * *  
  
Remus swallowed hard and stared up through the tiny window far above him. The sky was dark, stars glistening against the stark blackness that the desert afforded the sky. The moon was nearly above him, taunting him cruelly. He felt the wolf raise it's head inside of him, longing to howl at the moon, to run through the woods with the wind in his fur. He hadn't been free in so long, free to do whatever he pleased, even though he would have to confine himself every month. Even then it had been different, he had been a prisoner by his own choice not by someone else's hand.   
  
Now it was torture in its purest form, a mind numbing terror every month of what his body would go through during the change. He never remembered what happened during the night, just the aching muscles and bleeding wounds the next morning. The wolf within him was beginning to go mad, tearing at his insides with invisible claws. Remus hated it and loved it at the same time. It was torment, but it was a release from his constant prison. The pain made him look past the bars and stone walls, it gave him something else to think about.  
  
"Cass," he moaned softly, pressing his fists into his eyes. She was dead, there was no getting around that fact. Lucius Malfoy had killed her and now he was stuck in a hole with James Potter tormenting him at every turn. A man he had once loved like a brother, a man who was supposed to be dead, was whispering sounds of death into his room.   
  
Everything had fallen down around him in the past months, everything he had thought he knew had been torn away and now Remus Lupin didn't care if he lived or died. All he had lived for was gone and slowly, his mind was slipping away with everything else that had escaped him. He no longer wanted to be saved, he just wanted to die. He wanted everything to end for once and for all so that he no longer had to feel the pain.  
  
Remus Lupin slumped against the wall of his cell with the moon shining down on him. He was broken, a shattered remnant of what he had once been and now all there was left for him to do was die.  
  
  
* * * *  
  
  
The morning dawned hot and bright and by nine o'clock Snape was thoroughly annoyed. Not only was he sweating, sweating for Merlin's sake, but he was more sure than ever than Cassandra had absolutely no idea where she was leading them. She would walk a few paces before stopping and staring deep into the desert, as if there would be a road sign popping up any second to tell them that they were on the right track. Wasn't she just supposed to know without thinking about it? Wasn't a bloody vision supposed to pop into her head for them to follow like a road map?   
  
Snape paused for a moment, reaching into his pack for his bottle of water and pondering the idea of a road map coming to Cassandra in a vision. Maybe if he pressured her hard enough she'd snap and something more or less like a road map might appear in that head of hers.  
  
"Are we lost yet?" he called dryly, pushing the water back into his pack. "Or do you two just like the desert so much you thought we'd stay here for a few weeks longer than necessary?"  
  
Sirius cast Snape a withering glare over his shoulder before he murmured something to Cassandra.  
  
"What?" Snape called.  
  
"We were just discussing how easy it would be to lose you in the desert," Sirius growled fiercely.  
  
"We were not," Cassandra said.  
  
"Really?" Snape drawled.  
  
"We weren't," she insisted, turning around to look at Snape. "Why do you two have to fight at every single turn of this trip? Why can't you both just shut up and get along?"  
  
Snape blinked at her a few times before advancing. "It isn't Black that I have a problem with here. It's you."  
  
"Me?" she asked, staring at him.  
  
He nodded. "Mhmm."  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
Snape gestured vaguely to the desert surrounding them. "You, Cassandra Harvey, are the one who dragged us into this mess."  
  
Cassandra frowned and stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head and turning away.  
  
"No scathing replies?" Snape asked. "I was sure I could count on some ridiculous speech about saving Lupin and how much it means to the world. I was positive that you would deliver a heroic tirade on his behalf and now I'm to be disappointed?"  
  
"Don't do this right now, Severus," she murmured warningly.  
  
"Should I wait for a better time?" he asked sarcastically. "Until we're dying of hunger and dehydration perhaps? Maybe I should wait until Voldemort kills us all and then I can ask you if that was part of the great plan."  
  
"Why are you attacking me?" she cried desperately. "I'm as lost as you are."  
  
"So we are lost," Snape said.   
  
"Stop it," Sirius growled in a warning tone.  
  
"Why?" Snape asked. "I never wanted to be part of this but Albus insisted. Now I'm lost in the middle of Africa and I'm probably about to die. If I don't starve to death Voldemort will make sure my death is painful and most likely prolonged. I don't want to be here. I would rather be back at Hogwarts where I'm safe and will stay alive."  
  
"Then go," Sirius said, pointing in the direction they'd come. "Walk back home and take the damned plane by yourself. See if I care. We don't need you, just stop attacking Cassandra."  
  
"Or what?" Snape asked. "You'll hurt me?"  
  
Sirius' fingers flexed on his wand. "Don't tempt me."  
  
Snape took out his own wand. "Why don't do indulge our fantasies, Black? Why don't we do what we've been dying to do for years?"  
  
"I'm warning you, Snape."  
  
"What? What would the big bad Sirius Black do to me? Kill me?"  
  
Sirius' nostrils flared angrily and he advanced on Snape, but said nothing.  
  
Snape's black eyes narrowed slightly. "Go ahead, Black. Do it. Do what you've always wanted."  
  
The two men stared at each other, their eyes glittering with malice and years of pent of hatred. Silence fell over the group, the only sound was the wind whispering over the sand before it curled around them.  
  
Sirius raised his wand and Snape smiled bitterly before doing the same. His eyes slid over to Cassandra momentarily before returning to Sirius. She looked worried, which was exactly what he wanted. She had to do something and if he had to force her to do it, then he would.   
  
"On three?" Cassandra asked dryly.  
  
Snape frowned and turned to look at her. She was staring at them both with her hands on her hips and an annoyed expression on her face. She reminded Snape of the Potions Mistress who had taught him when he was at Hogwarts and her wrath had been one of the worst he'd ever experienced.  
  
"You two amaze me," she said simply, dropping her pack to the sand and reaching for her wand. "Sirius, I love you, but you're a bleeding idiot. Put your wand away." She glared at him hard when he didn't obey her immediately and added, "Now!"  
  
Sirius mumbled something under his breath, but tucked his wand away reluctantly.  
  
Cassandra turned on Snape and as he studied her, he decided he didn't like what he saw in her eyes.  
  
"You," she said, walking over to him with her wand held out in front of her. "I don't like you very much and I don't want to like you, but I was forced to work with you just like you were forced to work with me." The tip of her wand pressed into his chest as she stepped closer, still glaring at him.  
  
"This isn't easy for me," she said in a low growl. "Don't think for ever a second that I like being here. Do you really want some 'heroic tirade', as you called it? I can deliver one. Yes, I am here for Remus more than anything, but honestly, that's not all that heroic. You see, Severus, there's this thing that happened to me when I met him. I guess most people would call it love . . . you, on the other hand, might think of it as something dirty. Simpering loyalty . . . a weakness, perhaps?"  
  
Snape snorted angrily, but said nothing.  
  
"Whatever you think about it doesn't matter. My heroic tirade isn't too heroic because I want him back for me. Not for the world, for me."  
  
"Isn't that selfish?" Snape muttered.  
  
"Yes, it really is selfish," Cassandra said. "It disgusts me, but it's really quite selfish. So, you need to back off and let me work."  
  
"I fail to see any work being done here," he responded, gesturing vaguely around them.  
  
Cassandra's wand jabbed him sharply. "I am trying," she growled, her voice dropping even lower.  
  
They stared at one another for a long moment before Cassandra dropped her hand and turned away, shaking her head slightly. As she knelt down to pick up her pack, Snape put his own wand away then glanced at her.  
  
"Perhaps you ought to try harder," he said softly, then tried to walk away.  
  
"Go to hell!" she yelled suddenly, her voice hoarse with anger. "We don't need you."  
  
"You certainly need something," Snape retorted. "You're not much use on your own."  
  
Cassandra shook her head angrily, staring at him. "I hate you."  
  
Snape's eyes glittered with anger. "The feeling is more than mutual, I assure you."  
  
"Stop fighting!" Sirius growled suddenly. "We can't do this now."  
  
"When?" Snape asked sarcastically. "Can we do this when we get home?"  
  
"It's just the stress," Cassandra murmured, turning away from the other two. "All three of us are under tremendous pressure, it's only stress."  
  
"It's not just stress," Snape said. "I'd hate you whether I was under stress or not."  
  
"Fine!" she yelled. "Hate me, just stop talking about it. We have to go, we don't have a choice anymore."  
  
Silence fell over them once more and for a long while there was nothing but that silence. Then, in the still air behind them, someone laughed softly. It startled Cassandra and she turned quickly to find herself staring into Lucius' cold grey eyes.   
  
"Locomortor mortis," he drawled softly and a moment later Cassandra felt her legs bind together. She struggled and cried out for Sirius, but just as he reached for her another Death Eater put him under the Imperius curse.  
  
"No," she shrieked, dropping her wand and reaching for him.  
  
"Petrificus Totalus," Lucius said, his wand turning on Snape. Cassandra watched in horror at Sirius was marched away and Snape toppled to the ground, his hands clenched stiffly on either side of his body.  
  
"Cassandra Harvey," Lucius murmured, approaching her and stepping over Snape's frozen body. "You can't imagine how many years I've been waiting for this." He raised his wand and dragged the tip of it across her cheek, cutting a thin slice in her skin. A drop of blood slipped over her face and Lucius smiled cruelly before putting his wand away and staring at her.  
  
"Did you really come all this way for Remus Lupin?" he asked.  
  
Cassandra glared at him.  
  
Lucius laughed. "You did, didn't you? The werewolf was right when he said you'd do anything to get him back." He shook his head, blonde strands falling over his face. "I suppose you should be somewhat thankful that we found you before you made it to Cape Three Points. Remus doesn't look very nice, Cassandra, he's been through a lot. You wouldn't want to see him like that."  
  
"I don't care what he looks like," she whispered, "just as long as he's alive."  
  
"Don't care about looks?" Lucius asked. "Well, if that isn't a joke then I don't know what is." His eyes narrowed as he advanced on her. "What else could have possibly possessed you to agree to a date with me? I was never a nice boy, I wouldn't have brought you flowers or taken you home to meet mummy and daddy," he sneered at her. "You knew that and you still agreed to go with me. So, what was Cassandra Harvey looking for that night?"  
  
Cassandra drew in a deep breath and fixed Lucius with a steely glare. "I made a mistake, but because of that mistake I met Remus, so I can't even regret it."  
  
"Such admirable sentiments," Lucius said, a sarcastic grin tugging at his lips. He turned away from her and pointed at Sirius. "Someone needs to take him back."  
  
Cassandra searched the sand quickly for her wand and found it near Lucius' feet. She stretched, her fingers and arm straining toward it. The sand was rough against the tips of her fingers and yet she kept reaching. She longed to feel the smooth wood beneath her fingers, longed to feel the comforting weight of her wand in her hand.  
  
"Malfoy," a Death Eater said, motioning to her.  
  
Lucius turned around and another smile broke out on his face. "Diffindo," he said, pointing his wand at her. Cassandra toppled awkwardly to the ground, missing her wand by inches as she fell.  
  
"Go ahead," Lucius said. "Pick it up and see what you can do to me."  
  
Cassandra stood shakily and stared at him before turning on her heel and running as fast as she could possibly run in the other direction.  
  
"Dammit!" Lucius yelled from behind her, then motioned at Snape. "Kill him. I have to get her back."  
  
Over the rushing wind Cassandra could hear Lucius' feet pounding into the sand as he gave chase to her. She wished then that she had stopped to pick up her wand but there was no going back now, not after she had started running. As she ran she imagined his hand closing down over the hair flying behind her, yanking her to a violent stop and throwing her into the sand. The vision made her push herself faster, her legs burning as she ran and her heart pumping quickly. Air rushed from her lungs in quick gasps only to be replaced immediately by another breath and before she realized it, Cassandra was turning into the mare as she ran.  
  
"No," she breathed, realizing too late what was happening. Her vision was coming true; she was going to run herself to death.  
  
Her hooves pounded into the sand, throwing up clouds of dust behind her as she ran. She heard a gasp of surprise from Lucius when she turned and a smug satisfaction took over her fear for a brief moment. He hadn't know what she was.  
  
She ran on, her mane flowing behind as her hair had only moments before, knowing that with each stride she took she was running closer to her death.   
  
It was a long time before her hooves began to bleed as they had in the vision, the sun had begun to set before her legs felt as if they were going to give out. Lucius was no longer behind her but she couldn't stop, if she stopped he would catch her. If she stopped running, even for just an instant, he would be upon her immediately and everything she had worked for would be over.  
  
Then, just as in the vision, it was over. She stumbled and went down on her side, sand and dust billowing up around her as she fell. Her hooves were bleeding, the red fluid staining the sand around her. As she tried to draw breath into her body she heard a soft pop from nearby. Moments later, Lucius was kneeling beside her, his pale hand touching her quivering flank.  
  
"You tried," he murmured, "but you failed."  
  
She drew four shuddering breaths into her body, then slowly allowed herself to return to her human form.  
  
"Imperio," Lucius said softly and Cassandra stood, unable to do anything else. Her weary legs took her over the sand and she followed him to what was sure to be her death.  
  
* * * * 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Notes: Sorry this was so long in coming. But it's here. Finally. Rejoince. And yes, that's spelled wrong for a reason.  
  
* * * *  
Cassandra watched Lucius carefully, noting the way he paced the room warily, a selected path before he even walked it. He was meticulous, even in his pacing. It annoyed Cassandra to no end, watching Lucius walk back and forth, around the coffee table and beside the chair she was currently tied to. As he passed her, he would pause and stare at her, sometimes running his fingers across her arm. She hated his touch, hated the way his cold fingertips felt against her skin.   
  
He was nervous, she could feel it in the air when he passed by. He was tense and the sound of his footsteps echoed like gunshots in the near silent room. His hands trembled slightly when he touched her skin and she followed his hands with her eyes, waiting for him to reach out to her again.  
  
"Cassandra," he hissed suddenly, turning on her with a jerk.   
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
Lucius stared at her, his head cocked to one side. "Why are you really here?"  
  
She sighed and merely shook her head.  
  
"You are about to come face to face with Voldemort," he growled, kneeling so that he could look her in the eye. "That very thought should scare you more than anything."  
  
A smile twitched at the corner of Cassandra's mouth. "I spent six months in Azkaban. He can't possibly compare to that."  
  
Lucius arched one of his eyebrows. "You think so?" He stood, turning away from her. "We will see, won't we?"  
  
Only moments later the door banged inward and a tall man in black robes swept into the room. The air grew colder and Cassandra shivered violently against her bonds.   
  
"You're not so cocky now, are you?" Lucius snapped.  
  
"Lucius!" the man growled and Cassandra glanced up at him to see glowing red eyes beneath his dark hood. His face was shadowed, but she could see the flaring nostrils, only tiny slits on his face.  
  
"My Lord," Lucius said, bending slightly.  
  
"You failed me," Voldemort growled angrily. "You failed me completely."  
  
"I have brought Sirius Black to you, my Lord and-"  
  
"Do you see fit to talk back to me as if I were one of your equals, Lucius?" Voldemort asked, his voice dropping to a deadly smooth level.  
  
"No, my Lord," Lucius stuttered quickly. "Please accept my apologies."  
  
There was a long silence that stretched for many moments before Voldemort chuckled deeply.  
  
"You are lucky that I'm so forgiving, Lucius," he said. "But you have still failed me. Sirius Black is here, yes, but Cassandra Harvey is also here. She should be dead."  
  
"I brought her here to use against Remus Lupin," Lucius said.  
  
Voldemort's crimson gaze slipped to her and she shrunk back into the chair.  
  
"Use against Lupin," he murmured softly, staring at her. "I suppose she would be useful in convincing him to cooperate, wouldn't she?" Finally he glanced back at Lucius and nodded curtly. "You have made a wise decision bringing her here, but that still does not make up for letting Severus Snape escape. I wanted him dead. If he died then we would not have to worry about him meddling in our affairs . . . betraying us like he did."  
  
"I trusted the wrong people with his life," Lucius admitted. "I should have seen to his death myself."  
  
"You are right about that."  
  
"But, I have good news, my Lord."  
  
Voldemort turned to him. "Good news?"  
  
"Cassandra . . . she is also an animagus."  
  
Voldemort smiled coldly. "That fact has long been known to me, Lucius. How else do you suppose she escaped from Azkaban?"  
  
"We can use her powers as well," Lucius said quietly and Cassandra had to strain to hear.  
  
"She can serve as a replacement should anything happen to one of the other three," Voldemort said. "But she cannot be used in the ritual as well. You seem to have forgotten, Lucius, what we are doing is very strong magic. We can't afford to have too much power flow into your body."  
  
Lucius' eyes fell and he nodded. "Of course, you're right, my Lord. What should I do with her for now?"  
  
Voldemort's gaze fell on Cassandra again. "You must prepare for tonight. Lock her up."  
  
Lucius nodded, then went to Cassandra and put the Imperius curse on her before he untied the thick ropes keeping her restrained.  
  
"Come," he said in a toneless voice and Cassandra followed him down long, dark halls. Her mind reached out for any sound she heard, hoping that maybe it was Remus locked behind one of the thick doors they passed. If she could imagine that he was huddled in a corner, waiting for her, then she was sure they'd be okay. If she just kept herself focused on finding Remus and Sirius and getting out, she would be able to do it.  
  
"Looking for Remus?" Lucius asked as they walked. "I wouldn't bother if I were you. If he hasn't killed himself yet, I'm sure he fairly close to doing it. You see, we told Remus that you're dead."  
  
Cassandra fought against the curse, needing to reach out and strangle Lucius more than anything but she couldn't move. She couldn't even produce a squeak of indignation.  
  
"Not that it will matter much when he does find out you're alive," he continued. "He'll be dead soon enough and you . . . well, I don't know what Voldemort has planned for you but if I have my way you won't be leaving for a very long time."  
  
He removed an old fashioned key from his pocket and unlocked a door on his left. "Even if you had your wand, you wouldn't be able to escape." As he led her inside, he held up the key. "They're charmed so that nothing but this can break the barrier of the room."  
  
Cassandra tried to glare at him.  
  
"Don't worry," Lucius said, "you won't be in here for too long. The ritual is scheduled to start just as the moon rises."   
  
The door closed behind me and Cassandra could hear his footsteps fade as the curse slowly relaxed its hold on her body. Slowly she was able to collapse against the wall, her fingernails scraping against the stone in anger. She couldn't believe that they had been stupid enough to allow themselves to be caught. Now, rather than being one of three coming to rescue Remus, she was one of three waiting to be rescued by Snape. She didn't like how things looked from inside the cell anymore than she had liked how things had looked from outside. Either way their chances seemed grim.  
  
"Sirius?" she called, wondering if she was being kept anywhere near him. "Sirius?"  
  
No answer came to her, just the creak of a door somewhere down the hall and footsteps moving away from her.   
  
"Remus?" she tried, pressing her ear against the stone wall. She could hear nothing on the other side but a soft scuffling and even that ceased after a few moments.   
  
Cassandra slumped to the floor and rested her head against the wall, staring upward at the tiny window near the top of her cell. Whatever was happening, whatever sick plan Voldemort and Lucius was come up with, she wasn't going to give up that easily. Cassandra had come there for a reason and she hoped that she'd be able to follow through.  
* * * *  
"Get up," Lucius growled, the toe of his boot jostling uncomfortably against Cassandra's ribs. She groaned and pushed herself up from the ground. Somehow she had actually managed to fall asleep in her cell and now Lucius was standing over her.  
  
"The sun is setting," he said. "Get up."  
  
Cassandra struggled to her feet and Lucius grabbed her wrists, pinning them behind her back and winding a rope around them.  
  
"Why not just use the Imperius curse on me?" she mumbled.  
  
Lucius chuckled near her ear. "Because seeing you try to get away is just so much more fun."  
  
"You know that's always where the bad guy makes his mistake," Cassandra said patiently. "They only do something halfway and then the heroine escapes and-" she cringed as Lucius tightened the ropes enough to cut off the blood flow to her hands.  
  
He laughed again. "You were saying?"  
  
Cassandra just glared at him as he led her out of her cell and back down the long hall they had come originally. Her hands throbbed already and burned from the lack of blood but she kept her mouth shut and her eyes on Lucius. He seemed excited beneath the cool surface, tension bubbling under his stone cold exterior. Something big was happening. Whatever they were planning wasn't anything small.  
  
"In here," Lucius growled, then pushed her roughly into a room on her left.   
  
Cassandra glanced around quickly before she stumbled on the carpet and fell, her head slamming against the arm of the couch as she went down. She didn't see the three men who were seated side by side on the couch until Lucius hauled her back to her feet and threw her in the direction of a chair across from them. She caught a glimpse of Sirius as she collapsed in the chair, then straightened her body to look at all three.  
  
A breath caught in her throat and she struggled to remember how to continue the breathing process. It had all seemed so easy only moments earlier and now . . . well, now Remus Lupin was sitting on the couch across from her, bound at his ankles and wrists. His head was hanging down, nearly slumped against his knees and Sirius kept elbowing him in the side and whispering things to him.  
  
"Remus?" Cassandra whispered finally.  
  
He jerked slightly at his name, but didn't even raise his head. His hands were trembling against his knees and he was far more thin than she had ever seen him. He looked like he was dying right before her eyes, wasting away as the wolf slowly took over.  
  
"Remus," she said again, much more urgently.  
  
"Remus," Sirius whispered. He nudged his friend. "Remus, Cassandra is here."  
  
"You're not funny," Remus murmured, his voice soft and gravelly.  
  
"I'm not trying to be," Sirius said, frowning slightly. "Cass is sitting across from us."  
  
Remus chuckled darkly. "Cass is dead, Siri. I saw Lucius kill her."  
  
Cassandra shook her head, her brow creasing in confusion. "No, Remus, I'm not dead. I'm right here."  
  
Very slowly, as if it hurt to move, Remus lifted his head. His blue eyes stared out blearily from under his lank hair and finally, he shook his head.   
  
"Cass is dead," he whispered, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. "You're not Cassandra. She's dead." His head fell back down to his hands and he slumped over, half asleep.  
  
"What the hell did you do to him?" Cassandra growled in Lucius' direction.  
  
He merely held up his hand and smiled softly. Cassandra had yet to notice the third man sitting on the couch, cringing away from Sirius and trying to melt into to upholstery.   
  
"You!" Cassandra growled when she finally saw him. Peter glanced at her fearfully and a moment later Cassandra pushed off the chair to get to him.   
  
Peter squeaked and tried to get away, but Cassandra was upon him before he could move. Her hands were still tied behind her back, but that didn't prevent her from bringing her knee up between his legs and kneeing him as hard as she could. Her forehead cracked against his and Peter groaned, sliding to the floor in pain. Cassandra collapsed on top of him, her knees digging into his stomach in chest.  
  
"You," she cried, trying to kick him in the ribs. She struggled to get up, then kicked him twice. "I hate you! This all happened because of you!"  
  
"Cass!" Sirius said sharply, standing.  
  
She paused, then turned to look at him, tears running in small streams down her cheeks.  
  
"Don't," he said simply. He could see the muscles in her jaw clenching as she backed slowly away from Peter.  
  
"Well," Lucius said happily, "that was entertaining."  
  
Sirius and Cassandra both glared at him in response.  
  
"Now, let's start the real show, shall we?" Lucius asked, then turned his cold glare onto Peter. "Wormtail, do you care to show your friends the lovely potion you've been making for me?"  
  
Peter whimpered from the floor, then slowly got to his feet. "I can't," he whispered.  
  
Lucius cocked his head. "Can't? You can do whatever you put your mind to!" he exclaimed, sarcasm tainting his words.  
  
Peter swallowed and shook his head. "No, you can't make me. I-I won't do it again."  
  
"Why not, Wormtail? Does it scare you?"  
  
Cassandra watched this exchange in confusion, her mind unable to grasp exactly what they were speaking of. What in the world would Peter be scared of? She glanced down to find his wrists tied as well and her confusion deepened. He was supposed to be one of them, Peter Pettigrew was a Death Eater.   
  
Lucius' smile grew and he strode across the room to a large cupboard. His slim hands wrapped around the matching handles on each side of the doors, then drew them open quickly. Stuffed inside the cramped space, his neck bent at an old angle and his skin dried and decayed, was James Potter.   
  
Cassandra felt bile rise at the back of her throat and she turned away as an awful stench filled the room. Beside her, Sirius bite back a shout of surprise while Remus only stared at the cabinet with confusion lighting up his otherwise expressionless eyes.  
  
"What . . . what are you doing with him?" Cassandra asked.  
  
Lucius reached into the cabinet and withdrew a small vial. With his other hand he reached up and plucked a single hair from James' head. Sirius made a gagging noise deep in his throat as Lucius uncapped the vial and dropped in the hair. The potion hissed and popped and Cassandra had to turn away as Lucius lifted it to his lips and drank the entire thing.   
  
"Oh God," Sirius whispered from beside her and she turned her eyes back toward Lucius to see his skin ripple and his hair darken.   
  
She stared, transfixed, as Lucius became James Potter before her eyes. Lucius grinned at her before reaching for the glasses sitting nearby and perching them on his nose. It completed the look, it brought everything together and finally it made sense.  
  
"You were in our bedroom that night," Cassandra growled. "You took Remus away and made me believe I was insane because I saw James."  
  
Lucius smirked. "You've finally figured things out, have you?"  
  
"I don't get it," Sirius said, staring at him. "Why go to all this trouble just to change into a dead man?"  
  
Lucius shrugged. "Turning into James was . . . more fun than anything when it first started. Seeing Remus stare at me like I was the spirit of one of his best friends was far more enjoyable than I could have ever imagined, but believe me, there is a far more profitable reason." Lucius paused, letting James' eyes sweep over the group. A sickening smile that never would have touched James' lips now looked at home there.   
  
"The Marauders are together once more," he sneered. "And one needs to be an animagus to take those abilities from others."  
  
"But you're not!" Sirius exclaimed.  
  
"No," Lucius drawled, "but James was."  
  
"You aren't," Cassandra insisted. "The potion doesn't change you internally. You can't change into Prongs."  
  
He turned James' eyes on hers and she shivered suddenly; she felt cold.   
  
"You're right," he said, "but whatever entity that takes their power and transfers it to me doesn't know that."  
  
"It's a stupid risk," Sirius growled.  
  
Lucius smiled coldly. "But it's worth it. You've no idea of the power I'll have if this works."  
  
"You're insane," Sirius muttered.  
  
Lucius chuckled darkly. "Not as insane as you'll be once I'm done with you."  
* * * * 


	15. Chapter Fourteen

I know this has been a long time coming, but I'm a university student too. Gimme a break. :D  
* * * *   
Lucius' hands were on Cassandra's shoulders, but all she could feel was James' familiar fingers pushing her forward roughly with every step they took. Sirius was casting the most deadly glares he possessed in Lucius' direction, but nothing seemed to faze the Death Eater. He was trembling with excitement, his adrenaline pumping through his body at a quickened pace. There was a definite tension in the air around them, as if the very ground they stood on knew that something was happening. The group trudged up a long flight of stairs, Voldemort at the head of them, followed by Death Eaters holding tightly to Remus, Sirius and Peter. Lucius made up the back of the group, pushing Cassandra along.   
  
They trudged along silently, Cassandra casting pleading glances in Remus' direction whenever she thought he had caught her eye but nothing seemed to get through to him. His head was hung, lank hair falling in a curtain around his face and his eyes staring blankly at he ground. Cassandra could tell he was getting weaker as they drew closer to the surface and his arms trembled in anticipation of the moon that would blossom fully that night. He seemed so lost, but his entire body was in tune with what was happening to him; in tune with the world he hadn't seen in over six months.   
  
"Remus," Sirius said suddenly, glancing at his friend. The Death Eater who had Sirius by the shoulder elbowed him sharply.   
  
"Back off," he snarled, then turned his gaze onto Remus once more. "Hey, Remus, I need you to do something for me."  
  
The werewolf tiredly raised his head, staring blearily at Sirius. "Hmm?"  
  
"If you get free for any reason try your best to contain yourself."  
  
A dry sounding laugh escape Remus and Cassandra looked up in surprise. "Sirius . . . I've been locked up for six months. I don't know what I can and can't do anymore."  
  
"Try," Sirius begged, his eyes pleading. "Just try. For Cass."  
  
Remus' mouth tightened into a thin line and his head dropped down again. "I'll do what I can," he murmured.  
  
"Remus," Cassandra whispered softly, staring at him. She waited a long tense moment for an answer but his eyes remained on the ground.   
  
"Quiet," Lucius snapped, nudging her. "Just leave him to his pathetic delusions."  
  
Cassandra opened her mouth to reply but Sirius shook his head softly.  
  
"It's not worth it," he murmured.  
  
"It is too worth it!" she replied angrily, but Lucius nudged her again, more roughly this time.  
  
"Close," Remus muttered into the sudden silence. His body trembled violently in the hands of the Death Eaters and he nearly dropped to his knees. "We're getting close."  
  
"Get them out," Lucius snarled suddenly, shoving Cassandra forward again.  
  
The Death Eaters grumbled in response, but they picked up the pace and dragged their prisoners along quickly. A few steps closer to the surface, Sirius could smell the difference in the air. It was sweeter and cleaner and it smelled fresh, like wind off the ocean. Above them, Voldemort stood aside as one of the Death Eaters unlocked and pushed open a heavy door, revealing a darkening sky and the setting sun.  
  
"Set them up," Voldemort said simply, gesturing at Sirius, Remus and Peter.   
  
"You can't chain them up," Cassandra said, seeing the stake driven into the ground at each point. Shackles and chains were snaked along the ground, the sun glinting off them as it shimmered above the water. "When they change they'll either break the chains of just . . . worm away," she said, glaring pointedly at Peter.  
  
Voldemort chuckled. "Do you think we've not thought of that?"  
  
Lucius smiled, then gestured for the Death Eaters to take the others away. "The chains are charmed, Cassandra. They'll shrink and expand where needed as the change happens. We're not about to let this chance slip away with a mistake as simple as that."  
  
Cassandra's lips tightened and she turned away to watch Sirius and Remus being chained to their points. Sirius was fighting, but the Death Eaters managed to get him into his chains within minutes. Remus didn't even move as the shackles were clamped down upon his wrists and ankles. He collapsed a moment later, his back heaving with every breath he drew. The sun had all but disappeared behind the horizon and the exertion on him was getting heavier with every second that ticked by.   
  
"What are they doing?" Cassandra asked, pointing to the men who had positioned themselves behind each animagus.  
  
"Security reasons," Lucius said casually.  
  
"They can't be near Remus," she told him. "If he gets close enough he'll kill them."  
  
"He won't kill them," Lucius said.  
  
"If he changes and one of them is too close . . ." she trailed off, shaking her head. "You can't let him kill a person."  
  
"He's chained up," Lucius snapped sharply. "He won't kill them."  
  
Cassandra opened her mouth to reply, but a long, low howl cut through her words and she turned to see Remus struggling to stand. His hair looked thicker and his entire body was wider than he had been only moments before. Cassandra heard a distinct snapping noise as his legs bent backward, taking on a dog-like shape. Another pained howl tore from his throat, then he collapsed onto the ground once more.   
  
"Bring them back!" she yelled at Lucius.  
  
Remus raised his head once more, his golden eyes glowing in the dark night. The moon had risen and was full and red on the water. His jaw snapped at the empty air, then the wolf whirled around in his chains, teeth gnashing at the men who stood behind him. They both jumped backward and the wolf tried to jump forward, but his chains drew taut and he fell to the ground. A snarl ripped through the air and he tried to leap once more but failed.   
  
"You don't know what you're doing," Cassandra said sharply, pushing against the Death Eaters that held her back. "You're going to get someone killed. I've seen it."  
  
Lucius glanced at her and Cassandra was startled by the likeness to James once again. She would never get over seeing her dead friend walking the earth.   
  
"You've seen what?" he asked, leaning over her.  
  
She blinked a few times and tried to back away but the men at her arms held tight.  
  
"What did you see?" Lucius asked again, moving in closer.  
  
Cassandra stared at him, then sighed and said, "I had a vision of Remus killing someone while in wolf form."  
  
Lucius studied her for a long moment, his eyes taking in everything before he finally turned away. "She's lying," he said. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."  
  
"I'm not lying!" Cassandra said angrily. "You're going to get someone killed and it might be someone I care about."  
  
Lucius' muscles contorted James' face into a vicious smile and he laughed softly. "Well, then you'll just have to take their place." He flashed another grin in her direction before moving toward the apex of the three points and standing before the great stone. Cassandra shook her head angrily and turned away, her eyes searching the horizon for something that could prevent what was about to happen. She felt lost and useless, angry at having come all this way to do nothing in the end but make the situation worse.  
  
"Turn around, my dear." Voldemort's cold voice penetrated her thoughts and she shivered, but didn't turn.  
  
"I asked you to turn," he said again and the strong hands on her turned her roughly. The moon cut into her gaze, hanging low on the horizon and she could see Remus struggling against his chains in wolf form.   
  
"Don't you want to witness this?" he asked, coming closer to her and laying a thin fingered hand on her shoulder. His nails dug painfully into her skin, crushing her shoulder beneath his hand. Cassandra whimpered softly as she felt her bones grinding into one another, the sound reverberating inside her head.   
  
"Don't you?" he asked again, squeezing harder.  
  
"No," she murmured.  
  
His body pressed against her from behind and Cassandra could feel his thin chest heaving with every breath he drew. The outline of his ribs was pressed into her back and she shuddered involuntarily at the feeling.   
  
"No?" he asked, his hand still on her shoulder. "But this promises to be a ritual of great importance."  
  
"You're killing my friends," she said, her voice hushed and clouded with pain.  
  
Voldemort laughed softly behind her and bent to place his mouth near her ear. "Don't you want to watch your only love writhe in pain? Don't you want to see his body twist in agony and watch as his mind is torn from his body?"  
  
"Stop it," Cassandra hissed.  
  
"He'll be completely mad . . . like you almost were once. And then Lucius will have all their power and I'm sure he'll want someone to test it on," Voldemort said, his voice dry next to her ear. "Wouldn't you be the absolute perfect person?" he asked. "He's wanted to make you suffer for years and I believe in him . . . he'll make you feel pain like you've never imagined.  
  
"Watch," Voldemort hissed. "His power will be greater than you could ever imagine."  
  
"I don't care," she answered.  
  
"Quiet," Voldemort snapped, his hand tightening on her shoulder once more.   
  
Cassandra immediately fell silent. She hated having his body that close to hers; chilling waves radiated off him, washing over her and leaving her feeling weak and uncoordinated. His hand was like ice, long, spider-like fingers digging into her and embedding the cold in her very bones.   
  
Lucius spread his hands on the stone - hands that didn't belong to him - and turned James' face to the dark sky. Wherever Snape was, if he wanted to do anything, he would have to show up soon, Cassandra decided. If he had turned back and left them on their own she would never forgive him.  
  
"Bestia valeo," Lucius said, his voice resounding in the air that was suddenly very still. Not even the lightest of winds rustled the trees or stirred the dirt at their feet.  
  
"Bestia animus," he continued, his hands turning over to face the sky. The moon dripped like blood over the water, sending red streaks up to the points of earth that her friends were chained upon.   
  
"Abeo!" Lucius commanded. "Bestia abeo!"  
  
Sirius collapsed, one of his arms coming up across his chest. On another point, Peter let out a shrill squeak of surprise before tumbling to the ground and staring at his hands. He drew in a laboured breath, his body shaking with exertion. Cassandra's eyes went back to Sirius and she saw the dark hair thickening on his head and creeping down his neck. Something was forcing him to change and he was trying to fight it. A hoarse cry escaped him as his legs snapped and his shoulders broadened into the dog. A moment later, the shaggy black dog was lying on his side, panting in exertion.   
  
"Valeo," Lucius growled deeply, raising his hands again. "Bestia valeo!"  
  
The air around them seemed to quiver, then break as a storm poured down around them. Thunder rolled and lightening flashed in the cloudless sky as rain beat down on them. Cassandra looked upward, trying to find the source of the rain, but the lightening blinded her and she ducked her head when it flashed nearby.  
  
"Finish it!" Voldemort roared at Lucius and the other man nodded.   
  
His mouth opened and words spilled from his lips that couldn't be heard above the pounding rain and thunder. As he raised his arms once more, Cassandra stared at him from under her soaking hair, pushing it off her forehead and squinting into the rain. A dark shadow loomed over Lucius and a scream caught in Cassandra's throat. Remus had escaped his chains and he was going to kill Lucius.  
  
She broke free of the Death Eaters and pushed past them, wrenching her throbbing shoulder from Voldemort's grasp. She had to get to him before he did something he'd regret. How she would stop him wasn't the first thought on her mind, but Cassandra knew as she ran toward him that she might not be going home with Sirius and Remus. With her hands tied and her wand lost, she had no way to protect herself from the werewolf, but she couldn't let him kill someone if she had the chance to stop it.  
  
Cassandra skidded to a stop near Lucius, nearly slipping in the mud. She braced herself for the impact and went tumbling to the ground when it came. The large black dog jumped over the stone and slammed into her, causing her to slip and fall. He nosed her angrily, then went after Lucius, knocking him down and breaking the power transfer that had begun. The Death Eater moaned and tried to rise to his feet, but his arms quivered and he collapsed into the wet mud.   
  
"No!" Voldemort shouted, his voice filled with fury. "You can't break the chains!"  
  
Sirius returned to his human form and smiled crookedly. "I didn't."  
  
Another shadow emerged from the pouring rain and Snape glared stonily at Voldemort.  
  
"I did," he said.  
  
Voldemort's thin nostrils flared in anger and he lifted his wand, his hand trembling. Snape raised his wand in defence, but the Dark Lord turned from them and stared in the direction of Remus.  
  
"Abiungo," he snarled and a moment later, the chains holding down the werewolf snapped.   
  
"Get to him!" Snape growled, shoving Cassandra and Sirius in the direction. At the same time, Voldemort's wand snapped Peter's chains and the tiny rat went scurrying away. Snape went in the direction that Peter had gone, running through the driving rain and straining to see where the rat had disappeared to.  
  
"You'll never find him," Voldemort said from behind. "Do you think that he would let himself be caught by the likes of you?"  
  
Snape said nothing, but continued to search for the rat.  
  
Voldemort laughed. "Come now, Severus, this isn't about Peter. This final battle comes down to me and you. Nothing more."  
  
"I have nothing I can say to you," Snape replied.  
  
"That's right. There is nothing you can say that will make up for the betrayal I've felt," Voldemort snarled angrily, his eyes gleaming in the night. The rain continued to soak the ground around them and lightening lit up the eyes of the Dark Lord as they stared at each other.  
  
"This is the end," Voldemort said and raised his wand.   
  
Snape made no move to do the same.   
* * * *  
"Body bind!" Cassandra shrieked as she and Sirius circled the werewolf carefully.   
  
"I can't get close enough," he shouted back. "If I try it now I might hit you instead."  
  
"I'll live," she snapped. "If I had my wand . . ."  
  
Sirius reached into his robes and tossed her wand across to her. "Peter was good for something."  
  
Cassandra blinked and stared at her wand for a long moment before Remus growled threatening and snapped in her direction.  
  
"He felt guilty," Sirius explained quietly, trying to circle around Remus while he was distracted by Cassandra. "He gave me our wands back."  
  
"Great," she murmured softly as Remus snapped at her again. She jerked backward and came dangerously close to stepping off the edge of the point.   
  
"Careful," Sirius said, grabbing her arm and dragging her forward.  
  
Another low growl rumbled out of the werewolf's throat and his golden eyes narrowed as he studied them.  
  
"On three?" she asked. "We do a full body bind."  
  
Sirius nodded. "On three. One . . . two . . ."  
  
Remus attacked, his jaws snapping at the air between Cassandra and himself before his front paws connected with her chest and sent her reeling backward. Sirius grabbed for her again and prevented Remus from propelling them both into the angry ocean below, but the werewolf had sunk his claws into Cassandra's shoulders and wasn't about to let go.  
  
"Do it," she cried, her voice strangled by the nails raking across her throat.  
  
Remus' teeth gnashed toward her before sinking into the shoulder Voldemort had held in his crushing grip earlier. Cassandra screamed and Sirius pointed his wand quickly.  
  
"Petrifucus totalus!" he cried.  
  
Remus went rigid, then collapsed to the side, his eyes wide and terrified. Sirius knelt quickly, reaching for Cassandra's shoulder.  
  
"It's not bleeding too badly," he said. "You'll be okay."  
  
"Tell that to the blinding pain," she moaned, burying her face in Sirius' shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist, then hauled her to her feet.  
  
"We have to get Remus out of here," he said, trying to support her on one arm and study the werewolf at the same time.  
  
"Sirius," Cassandra said suddenly, her hand tightening on his wrist.  
  
"What?"  
  
Slowly she raised a shaking hand and pointed through the driving rain. On another point, barely visible, stood Snape and Voldemort and it looked as if the Dark Lord had his wand raised.  
  
"He can't . . ." she murmured.  
  
"We can't let him do that," Sirius said at the same time.  
  
Without speaking, without thinking, they each raised their wands and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"  
  
Through the rain they saw Voldemort falter, saw his wand fall and saw him staring wildly around him, trying to find the source of the magic that had disarmed him. A moment later he fled, snatching up a tiny rat as he went and grabbing Lucius by the arm. Lucius didn't look like James Potter anymore, he had slowly turned back into himself, leaving them nothing left to do but run.  
  
"Get him," Cassandra said when Snape joined them, nodding at Remus. "I can walk."  
  
"You're hurt," Sirius said in a scolding tone. "You can't walk."  
  
"I can walk," she insisted, then broke away and stumbled back toward the main land. She turned to watch as Snape and Sirius struggled to pick up the rigid werewolf and haul him in her direction.   
  
The rain continued to fall, though the thunder was soft and rolling and the lightening had all but faded. Cassandra's feet sunk into the wet mud as they trudged away from Cape Three Point and she turned a final time to see the points of earth crumbling away.  
  
"Look," she murmured, touching Snape's arm and pointing toward it.   
  
They all stopped and stared at the earth broke away and fell into the churning ocean below. The worn stone cracked and dropped away, leaving no evidence that it had ever been there.  
  
"It's probably for the best," Sirius said. "Let's go get Remus locked up again and . . ." he trailed off, his lips tightening into a thin line.  
  
"We'll take James back to where he's supposed to be," Cassandra said, reaching out and squeezing Sirius' arm. "He'll be okay."  
  
"I can't believe they did that to him," he murmured shaking his head. "Even when he's dead he can't escape Voldemort."  
  
Cassandra smiled gently and tried to reply, but her legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground. A deep shudder went through her and her eyes went to Remus, staring in terror at the stiff werewolf before she started to shake her head.  
  
"Oh no," she moaned. "No, oh no, oh no."  
  
"What?" Snape asked, his dark eyes flickering between Remus and Cassandra.  
  
"The vision I had earlier," she said, still staring at the werewolf. "I had that vision of Remus killing someone and thought it was one of us."  
  
"It wasn't?" Sirius asked.  
  
She shook her head slowly. "It was Voldemort."  
  
The group fell silent, the only sound was the rain pattering softly around them as the storm ran out and faded into the night.   
  
"We should have let him go," Cassandra said finally. "That was what he was meant to do. That's why he's so important in the war. We should have let him go."  
  
Sirius shook his head. "I don't care who it is, could you let him live with someone's life on his shoulders?"  
  
Cassandra reached out an unsteady hand and stroked it over the werewolf's fur before shaking her head. "No, you're right. I could never let him kill someone."  
  
Snape sighed deeply. "Let's just go home."  
  
Cassandra got to her feet and nodded. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea."  
* * * * 


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
* * * *  
Weary and ragged, three travellers carried an unconscious man into Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, weeks after Voldemort had fled from Cape Three Point. Dumbledore met them at the door and rushed Remus Lupin to the hospital wing to be mended. He hadn't woken up once since their final fight in Africa and needed to be cared for immediately.  
  
"Can you tell me what happened?" Dumbledore asked, sitting behind his head and staring at the three of them.  
  
Cassandra drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Too much to tell," she said finally. "Voldemort's gone, so are Lucius and Peter."  
  
"They're not dead?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Sirius shook his head. "We weren't strong enough."  
  
"You did exactly what you set out to do," Dumbledore said. "I asked nothing more of you than to bring Remus Lupin home safe and alive."  
  
"He thought I was dead," Cassandra said softly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "They would have planted many suggestions into his mind, Cassandra. You can't blame him for being confused."  
  
"Malfoy was using a polyjuice potion," Snape said slowly. "He had James Potter's remains and was using them to look like Potter."  
  
"That's why Cassandra saw James," Dumbledore said, light dawning in his eyes. "It makes sense now."  
  
"James' body is . . ." Sirius trailed off and blinked a few times. "It's here. We left it with Hagrid and he said he'd make sure it got back to where it's supposed to be."  
  
"With Lily," Cassandra said.  
  
"I'm very sorry you two had to see this," Dumbledore said gravely, "but you did a great thing. All of you are to be commended for a fight well fought and well won."  
  
"We didn't win," Snape said. "Voldemort will be back and he'll be stronger."  
  
"But he's scared of Remus," Dumbledore reminded them. "That is our most powerful weapon."  
  
A knock at the door interrupted them and Madame Pomfrey stuck her head inside.  
  
"I gave him the most potent potion I could find," she said. "He's awake."  
  
Cassandra's eyes widened and she turned to look at Sirius, then stared imploringly at Madame Pomfrey. The older woman pursed her lips, then sighed.  
  
"Well, I suppose since I have to take care of that nasty wound on your shoulder you might as well come to see him." She glanced at Sirius. "You as well."  
  
Cassandra stood, then turned to look at Snape and smiled softly.  
  
"Thank you," she said. "I know it wasn't what you were expecting and I know most of the time you wanted to rip out our throats but . . . you saved us."  
  
Snape nodded sharply as Cassandra squeezed his arm, then left the office with Sirius by her side.  
  
"Does he remember anything?" she asked Madame Pomfrey.  
  
"I'll let you talk to him yourself," the other woman replied, then gestured toward the bed that Remus Lupin occupied.  
  
Cassandra stopped, but Sirius' hand on her back guided her forward. Remus' eyes were closed and he was breathing steadily, but as she approached he awoke and blinked at her. His eyes shifted to Sirius, then back to Cassandra.  
  
"Cass?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Sirius . . . I thought she was dead."  
  
Sirius shook his head. "She's not dead, Remus."  
  
He struggled for breath, then reached a hand out toward her. "Cass . . . I'm so sorry."  
  
Tears spilled over her cheeks and she ran to him, burying her face in his throat and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She cried into his neck, sobs wracking her body and Sirius watched, smiling softly.  
  
This was how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to be together and be happy and healthy. His friends were meant to live a long life, raise a family, be free. They would win . . . it was only a matter of time.  
End  
Well, it's finished. I kinda miss Cassandra already. *sniffles* Oh well ... thanks so much to my reviewers, you guys rock. *grins* I hope you've enjoyed this. I shall be tackling a sequel to my five "The Five" as soon as I get the time, so here's to hoping you like that as well. 


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